the Hellmouth Opens Wide
by HalloweenJack
Summary: There'll have to be a few explanations inside. Suffice to say, it's got demons and monsters galore.
1. Nothing can POSSIBLY go wrong

All the usual disclaimers apply. I own nothing. All characters are owned by….well whoever owns them. Be it Joss, Toho, or what not.      

"All I'm saying is that the way he refers to his penis doesn't make me horny at all."

    Xander sighed as he looked at his ex-fiancé. 

    "Anya, it's not supposed to make you horny. It's Jay and Silent Bob Strikes back. It's supposed to be funny. A joke.", Xander replied to her

    The former Vengeance Demon looked at him. 

    "What is it with you men and your penises? You want them to be big and have me say things like "Oooooh poppy" to you or you make light of them when they're small. Freud was onto something.", Anya replied

    Xander felt the familiar warmth of blushing. He had a whole room of his friends and about a bajillion Potential Slayers staring at him. Embarrassment was pretty much a given when Anya opened her mouth. Oh well, at least she hadn't started on the games they had used to play in the bedroom. 

    "And what's with you men and wanting to play naughty nurse while we're on the subject? What's so sexy about someone who changes bedpans everyday? I swear there has to be something there too.", Anya went on

     Xander looked at the others sheepishly. 

     "Naughty nurse?", Willow asked with an eyebrow raised

    Xander merely laughed weakly and walked into the kitchen to Buffy. 

    "Little help out there? Losing what little dignity I have left there.", Xander pleaded

    "You had dignity?", Buffy said as she spread mustard on her sandwich. 

    "Seriously Buff. I can't work crowd control much longer. They're like ravening wolves. Get out there and work that chain of command mojo.", Xander replied peering back into the packed living room. 

    Giles walked in a moment later, "Yes, I agree with Xander. I'm beginning to think that gathering up all the Potential Slayers here and packing them into a household already full of young women was an error in judgment."

    "Anya got them all on the penis diatribe didn't she?", Xander sighed

    "Unfortunately. I rather think I would prefer the Apocalypse right now.", Giles said cleaning his glasses.

    "Oh come on guys. It's not that bad.", Buffy replied, putting the finishing touches on her sandwich before heading into the living room. A moment later she was back, "They got Andrew on it too."

    "Please don't make me go back in there.", Xander said petrified.

    "Surely there must be some research I could do….", Giles began

    "In there now.", Buffy ordered, "I need moral support."

    "God. It was so much easier when people were losing souls and turning into giant snakes.", Xander groaned as Buffy issued them both into the living room with her. 

    "I just think Dogma was better.", Buffy's younger sister Dawn said to the others. 

    "I'm with Dawnie on this one. Dogma was much better than Mallrats.", Willow echoed as she held her new girlfriend Kennedy's hand. 

    "How can you say that? The mall! Last bastion of capitalism! It has numerous opportunities to make profit and then exchange that profit for goods and services! Besides, I would think some people in this room would prefer Chasing Amy as they play for the other side.", Anya said narrowing her glance. 

    "ALRIGHT! I'M GAY! OKAY, I ADMIT IT! I'M GAY! AND YA KNOW WHAT? IT'S A VALID LIFESTYLE! VALID! I HAVE NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF! I AM GAY AND I'M PROUD! STOP PRESSURING ME WITH YOUR LITTLE HINTS AT MY SEXUALITY!", Andrew suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs with eyes liked a madman

    "I was talking about Willow and Kennedy, Andrew.", Anya explained. 

   Andrew looked at all the wide eyes and faces and started to cough, "Yes. O-of course That was obviously me doing an impersonation of….erm….Evil Kirk from Mirror, Mirror. You know…he'd be the exact opposite of Good Kirk…as he was the ladies man."

    The rest of the room still looked at him. Andrew sighed slightly and sat down on the couch, with Xander inching away as he did. 

    "Okay, that's it. I need to get away from the crazy people for a little while.", Buffy said standing up.

    "Take me with you?", Xander pleaded. 

    "Ooooh no. You're staying here with the penis jokes and revelations in human sexuality. See you in a few.", Buffy said walking to the kitchen and out the back door. 

    "You know….Midnighter and Apollo are gay.", Andrew said to Xander

    "Do not speak to me.", Xander replied staring straight ahead. 

    Buffy walked out the back door into the cool night air and just felt the breeze. Thunder echoed miles away. There was a storm coming. There was always a storm coming. They never seemed to stop coming. Buffy sighed and sat on her back steps just thinking. The big one was coming; the battle with the First Evil. People were going to die. She was probably going to die. AGAIN. She sighed then perked her head up. She had heard a sound. A sound on the roof. 

    "Could be a demon.", she thought and she stood up and gracefully back flipped onto her roof. 

    "BLOODY HELL!", Spike said with a start.

    "Hey. Was wondering where you got to.", Buffy said to him. 

    "Yeah, Needed some time away from the pitter patter of feet inside. Enough to drive a fella nuts.", Spike replied. 

    "So what are you doing? Admiring the shingles?", Buffy asked as she sat beside him. 

    "Eh. Just taking in the whole night. Get a look at the stars before that soddin' storm that's coming up covers them.", the vampire said to her. 

    Buffy looked to the stars with him. 

    "Pretty. You never struck me as an astronomer though.", Buffy told him

    "I'm not. Just like looking at them though. Lots of demons and people ask if us vamps ever miss the daylight. I always tell them no. Who needs the sun when I got millions of them up above me?", Spike said looking at her. 

    "Wow. Is it just me or have you gone and become a poet again?", Buffy asked

    "Nah. Well, yeah. Came up to get inspiration.", Spike said as he pulled a pack of cigarettes from his duster and lit one up. 

    "Working on something?", Buffy asked again. 

    "Could say that, pet.", Spike said puffing away. 

    "What's it about?"

    Spike inhaled deeply and took the cigarette from his mouth.

    "'Bout you.", Spike sighed

    "Oh.", was all Buffy could manage. She liked Spike. She had always had a sort of attraction to him. Then there had been the affair. God what a mistake that was. It had been purely physical on her part, but he had wanted something more. Every time he had tried to show tenderness she had beaten him. And he kept crawling back to her. It was sick and wrong on her part and she seemed to know that now. Everyone has a breaking a point. Spike had one too and almost raped her for the way she treated him. Then he disappeared for months, finally returning with a soul. He was so different now. Gone was a lot of the bravado and sarcastic remarks. In its place was a kindness and gentleness, though he was still vicious when it came to fighting. 

    "So where are we Buffy?", Spike asked suddenly

    "What do you mean?", she asked trying to play dumb and avoid the subject. 

    "Well, I mean, what are we now? Are we actually friends now? Just acquaintances? Is there any hope for…"

    "I don't know. With all this stuff with the First and the Potential Slayers, I just don't know. I can't think about it right now. I need to stay focused.", Buffy said before she saw his head moving closer to hers. 

    "I'm focused too. Focused on you.", Spike said as he inched ever closer

    "Spike we shouldn't….", Buffy replied, her resolve weakening as she moved to him too. 

    "SHIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!!!"

    "The hell?", Spike said looking out in the distance seeing a gigantic figure silhouetted in the horizon. 

    "Damn it. We need to get the others.", Buffy said as she watched the huge green figure start advancing to the town of Sunnydale.

     Gaira the Gargantua had made landfall.   


	2. The REAL Big Bad

    Gaira surveyed the area carefully. He didn't know why he was here. There had been a buzzing in his head, but it was gone now. It had faded when he had come onshore out of the pacific, when he had smelled it. Food. Thousands of the tiny little creatures he ate scurried around here. He hadn't eaten one of them in so long. Not for years. Bloodlust overcame the buzzing. This town was a buffet. And Gaira was going to have all he could eat. 

    "Okay, now this is way out of our league. In fact, I'm thinking we should try and get a hold of THE League.", Xander commented watching the giant walk around Sunnydale from Buffy's back porch. 

    "Wow. He's so big he could have squashed the Mayor.", Willow said wide eyed. 

    "Amazing. I-I haven't seen or heard of this creature in years.", Giles stammered.

    "Giles, get with the exposition.", Buffy said as she pulled Giles into the house and went right for her weapons trunk in the living room. 

    "Well, erm, that creature is called Gaira. It's a form of, well mutation, believed to have been spawned from the Frankenstein creature. The Watcher's Council kept records of it and other giant creatures that seem to basically attack Japan at frequent intervals. Also I remember it from news reports. I was twelve when it initially went on its rampage. I even had its trading card. ", Giles stated

    "Okay, how do I kill it?" Buffy asked. 

    "You're not seriously thinking of tackling that thing are you?", Spike said wondering how he could fall in love with someone so amazingly suicidal. 

    "It's in my town. You better believe I am.", Buffy said hefting an axe.

    "Okay, well I'm going to play it smart and scram from town like I usually do when giant monsters show up. Good look killing the big King Kong looking thing with the axe.", Anya stated heading for the door.

    "Buffy, I think everyone else is right. That's not exactly a vampire out there.", Dawn

said with fear. 

    "On the plus side we could always lure it to the high school and blow it up. Again.",

Xander said adding some levity.

    "Again?", Kennedy asked Willow

    "Graduation. Mayor. Giant Snake. Kaboom. I'll fill in the blanks later sweetie.",

Willow replied

    "Look, this thing is in our town. It's going to kill people if it hasn't already. We don't

know why its even here. This could be the First's move against us. It could some idiot

trying to summon a monster.", Buffy explained, then paused looking at Andrew.

    "Hey! I stopped doing that thank you. Don't try to pin this on me. One of the good

guys now.", Andrew replied

    "Regardless, we can't just sit on our butts waiting for Superman or Thor to show up.

We have to make a stand. Spike, Xander, Willow, and Kennedy. You're with me. We're

going out there. Giles, Dawn, you stay here with the Potentials and get working with

Andrew. He might be able to control it with the right materials. Anya I want you 

to….Anya?", Buffy said looking around. She then hurried to the door and put her hands

on her hips as she saw Anya trying to break into the 4X4. Anya immediately looked up

and smiled.

    "Anya, you help Giles.", Buffy ordered.

    Anya sighed exasperatedly, "Fine! But we're all just going to get killed anyway!"

    Minutes later, Buffy and her group had made their way downtown closer to Gaira's

rampage. The giant had already smashed in the Sun Cinema, stomped city hall, and was 

gathering up all of the scrambling humans and popping them in his mouth, taking time to 

spit out their remains of their clothing. Gaira let loose a monstrous chuckle. He was

enjoying this. Immensely. 

    "What now oh fearless leader?", Xander asked as they stood a block away from the

beast. 

    "Wow. He is more imposing up close.", Buffy stammered. She then looked at her axe

and at Gaira, "The hell was I thinking?"

    "Something high and mighty most likely.", Kennedy spat. 

    Buffy shot the Potential Slayer a hard glance then looked at Gaira again.

    "Will, you're the big gun here.", Buffy said looking to the red headed witch who was

almost a sister to her.

    "I hate being the big gun.", Willow pouted, "But let's see what we can do."

    Willow popped her fingers and breathed in deep. Immediately debris from Gaira's

rampage flew into the air and started pelting the behemoth. Gaira was confused but

unharmed. 

    "Maybe you should try something bigger Red. He barely noticed that.", Spike noted.

    Inwardly, Willow became frustrated. She scanned the area and saw an abandoned

Motorcycle. It flew into the air with frightening speed and hit Gaira between the eyes. 

Again Gaira was unharmed, but this time he had noticed the small group of people not

very far away.

    "Shurk.", Gaira bellowed as he put two and two together in his dim mind. 

    "Uh oh. The Jolly Green Giant has spotted us.", Xander said in absolute fright.

    "Okay time to fall back.", Buffy stated.

    "I can do this.", Willow replied, "Thicken."

    The air around Gaira suddenly became very dense. So dense in fact he actually felt the

change. The thickened air could now easily keep a semi truck from driving through it.

But to Gaira, one who had stood at the ocean's bottom, it was nothing. He advanced. 

    "Willow, we need to go.", Kennedy said trying to pull the witch. Willow didn't budge.

    "Burst and flow.", Willow said angrily as fire hydrants down the street burst and fired

high pressured water at the Gargantua. Gaira kept advancing. 

    "Burn!", Willow shouted. Instantly small patches of Gaira were ablaze, but still he

came.

    "Willow come on!", Buffy growled trying to move her friend. She got pushed away by

Willow as a result. Gaira was mere feet away. 

    "Barrier!", Willow cried out with every ounce of her being. 

    Gaira's foot slammed into the makeshift force field Willow had constructed and

shattered it. To her credit, Gaira was knocked off balance and staggered back after hitting

the unexpected barrier. However, the energy backwash of it shattering sent Willow and

the others flying. Willow in particular landed roughly and hit her head hard. Rain began

to beat down and thunder blared. Gaira was already recovering.

    "Poor stupid little geek."

    "Shut up.", Willow winced with her eyes closed

    "Poor little mousy Willow. You're pathetic. Playing at being a witch."

    "Shut up.", Willow said a little louder as Gaira knelt and picked her up.

    "God, no wonder Oz left you. No wonder Tara died. No wonder Xander never noticed

you. Nothing you've ever done has ever mattered. And now your pathetic existence is

going to end. Eaten by a giant. Not quite a grand death, but hey, its not like you deserve

one. Bye bye geek. I'd say it's been nice knowing you, but I'd be lying."

    "Shut up!", Willow barely shouted at the tormentor only she could hear. 

    "Any last words before you get eaten geek?"

    Willow's eyes opened up and they were pitch black. Gaira suddenly roared in pain as

his hand was set ablaze and Willow floated out of it."

    "Yeah. Bored now.", Willow growled


	3. A Witch Burning with Rage

    Several bolts of black lightning rocked Gaira. He didn't know what was happening. One moment he was ready to feed. The next, his food was somehow injuring him. This wasn't right. This didn't happen. This wasn't possible. And that really, REALLY pissed Gaira off. 

    Willow was likewise pissed off. Pissed off at herself for ever denying the power that was in her. It was hers. It was her. Buffy and the others were just jealous of her. They didn't want her to be so much more powerful than them because it would make them feel inferior. The weaklings. They ARE inferior. 

    "Wait, no. What am I thinking? Those are my friends.", Willow thought. Her ebon eyes then widened and she barely avoided Gaira's fist, "Damn them! Thinking about those losers almost made me die!"

    "SHIRRRRRAOW!", Gaira roared in challenge to the speck hovering in the air before him. 

    "Get bent hairball.", Willow said through gritted teeth. She reached out with her mind and levitated the overturned bus a block away. With all of her might she threw the bus and hit Gaira in the back of the head. Gaira staggered but did not fall. Again and again his flailing limbs struck out for Willow, but again and again she wafted just out of reach. Gaira roared in outrage.

    "Kind of sucks that you're so big and slow doesn't it?", Willow said as she fired more black lightning, "Kind of sucks that I'm also a lot smarter than you too isn't hairball? Cause I know where the gas mains are in the city. They're right underneath of you, and all it takes is a little push from me and…poof."

    The ground below Gaira exploded in a fireball. Gaira roared in pain and anger as the fire traveled up his legs. He actually fell to one knee. Willow wasn't about to give up. She reached out with her mind again and bombarded the Gargantua with anything she could lift. Rubble. Street signs. Telephone poles. Cars. They all became bullets. After all, Willow was the big gun. 

    "Oh my God!", Kennedy exclaimed as she and the others ran from any stray debris that flew their way. 

    "Yeah. Will's gone all Dark Phoenix again.", Xander answered 

    "This is what she was afraid of losing control of?", Kennedy asked

    "Not quite. Her hair hasn't even gone black yet.", Buffy explained

    "Question.", Spike said, "How long can Red go like this? I mean she's still only human."

    Buffy stopped and looked back at her friend. Lightning, the natural variety from the storm, flashed and she saw Willow hitting Gaira with everything but the kitchen sink (upon further examination after the battle, it was concluded Willow had in fact hit Gaira with a kitchen sink). She was doing good, but Gaira wasn't even slowing down. Willow was. It was like the previous year when she had used elaborate spells in killing Warren and hunting Jonathan and Andrew. She had grown weak after a while and had to recharge by sucking the warlock Rack of all of his energies. Including his life. 

    "Not long. She's flagging.", Buffy stated.

    "Buff, we gotta save her. She's my best friend.", Xander pleaded.

    "You go running back in there and you'll get killed, whelp.", Spike added

    "Shut up Spike! Buffy please. We have to do something.", Xander again pleaded

    "Spike's right. You can't go in there Xander. I will. Spike you get Xander and Kennedy back to the house. I'll save her when she runs out of power. I swear.", Buffy promised. And that was good enough for Xander. 

    Willow was weakening fast. She was barely avoiding Gaira's blows and her own attacks lacked their previous strength. Unconsciously, she began lowering to the ground and Gaira just watched, confused by the fight going out of her. Willow hit the ground with a thud and Gaira still watched. Then he chuckled and realized her strength had faded. He raised his foot and began to bring it down. Willow looked up with eyes going back to their original color and too dazed to do anything. Gaira's foot hit the pavement with all the grace of a pile driver and broke through down into the sewers. Gaira roared in triumph over his defeated enemy. 

    "You okay Will?", Buffy asked lying on top of her friend in the alley next to Gaira. 

    "Buffy? This is just like that dream I had.", Willow said as she looked up at Buffy.

    "Never tell me.", Buffy smirked, "Got you out of the way at the last minute. Hopefully he won't notice us."

    That's when the earth shook. 

    Ten seconds earlier. 

    "Bloody hell! Look!", Spike said pointing to the sky

    "Up in the sky?", Xander asked

    Kennedy winced to try and get a better look at what was hurling through the sky at awesome speeds, "Is it a bird? Or a plane? Oh my God, it's Superman!!!!"

    Xander shrugged, "Naw. Just Wonder Man."

    Back in the present, Simon Williams, aka Wonder Man stood atop the downed Gaira. 

    "Word of advice. I wouldn't get back up if I were you.", Wonder Man smirked. 

    Gaira was by now rightfully sick of getting attacked by food. He swatted Wonder Man and sent him flying through one of the buildings on Main Street. Gaira stood and was immediately nailed in the face by the returning Wonder Man. 

     "You know Big Green, that actually hurt. Problem is I've gone at it with the Hulk before. You're not going to win this one.", Wonder Man quipped as he punched the Gargantua again and again. Gaira angrily fired back with blows of his own. The two titans hammered one another. Gaira out of anger, Wonder Man out wanting to keep Sunnydale, California from being erased from the map. 

    "Not that I'm dissing the fact that we got help here, but those two are going to destroy Sunnydale if that main event goes on for any length of time.", Buffy said helping Willow down the street. 

    "I think I figured out a way to stop it, Buffy.", Willow groaned. 

    "You're in no position for anymore Bippity, Boppity, Boo tonight Will.", Buffy replied.

    "N-no. I really can. I just need help.", Willow said to Buffy, wearing her resolve face. Buffy learned long ago that there was no breaking that resolve face.

    "What do you need?", Buffy asked

    "Strength. I need you to share it with me.", Willow replied.

    "Well you're going to have to settle for all of our strength.", Xander said running up with Spike and Kennedy. 

    "I thought I told you to get out of here.", Buffy said in frustration

    "Well we thought we'd come back and do the heroic thing and help you.", Xander said proudly.

    "Actually kid genius here said he wanted Wonder Man's autograph.", Spike remarked snidely. 

    "I violently dislike you.", Xander said to Spike.

    "What do we do Willow?", Kennedy asked her lover.

    "Join hands and I'll do the rest.", Willow explained crouching down.

    "That's it? Seems too simple.", Kennedy questioned. 

    "In times like this, you don't really question things, you just do them.", Xander replied.

    "Boy. Andrew's sure going to be pissed he didn't get to control this thing.", Buffy said joining hands with the others. 

    "Shh.", Willow reprimanded, "Oh Mother Earth hear me. I come before you beseeching your aid. Oh Gaia, Mother to Titan, Giant, and Beast, take this creature, and turn it from Greatest to Least!"

    At that moment, Wonder Man summoned all of his strength and swung at Gaira. Needless to say, he was greatly confused when he connected with air. Gaira was also confused. Mere moments ago, things had been so much smaller. Now he was surrounded by a gigantically frightening world. He screeched in terror when a huge giant came running at him. 

    "Ole, ole, ole, ole, ole, ole, ole, ole, ole!", Spike sang as he punted the former giant down Main Street. Gaira hit with a thud and passed promptly out. 

    "Wow. Nice kick.", Xander admitted.

    "Well I like Manchester United.", Spike said with a huge grin plastered on his face. 

    Willow walked over to Gaira and picked him up in her hand. He was barely six inches tall. 

    "So what do we do with him Buffy?", Willow asked, feeling some remorse for the engine of destruction. 

    "Well, Dawnie's been bugging me for a pet, so I think we slap him in an aquarium and start feeding him crickets.", Buffy smirked

     "And on that note I'm going to get Wonder Man's autograph.", Xander snickered. 

    The rain continued to beat down on Sunnydale for the rest of the night. Rescue teams and repair crews were on hand nearly immediately. They worked long and hard to help anyone in need. They didn't notice a crow flying high overhead however. The bird's wings beat as it flew towards its destination. It began to descend and cawed as it landed on a tombstone. It's beak then began pecking on the stone. Lightning flashed and thunder rang, as a hand clawed its way out of the cold, damp ground. It groped wildly at the air, searching for the ground to pull itself up further. It needed escape. The lightning flashed again and had there been a person there they could have read the name. 

Tara MaClay

1981-2002


	4. Trouble A Brewin'

    "God that could not have gone more horribly!", Ethan Rayne yelled. He was usually not one for violent outbursts, but his plans had gone horribly awry tonight

    "Well 'pard, its that Chaos magick o' yers. Unpredictable and the like.", the vampire Lyle Gorch replied throwing cards into his cowboy hat at the end of the bed. 

    "You don't get it! That behemoth was the best chance I had at protecting myself!", Ethan yelled again. 

    "You sayin' I can't?", Lyle asked looking up his demon visage

    "Well your gang has done a really sodding BANG UP JOB SO FAR!", Ethan yelled again, "Especially considering your gang is just down to you!"

    "Watch yerself meat. I might forget about all the money yer payin' me to protect yer skinny hide and decide to have a snack.", Lyle growled in warning. 

    "Oh please. I know you're more interested in money than you are in killing me.", Ethan said, crossing his arms

    "I dunno. You're looking pretty good right now.", Lyle said showing his fangs

    "I'll double what I'm paying you now.", Ethan replied

    "Funny, I just lost my appetite.", Lyle snorted as he went back to throwing cards in his hat.

    Ethan sat down in a huff. Things had not been going well lately. In fact, things had been going miserably. They were downright bloody awful. Not only was he back in Sunnydale, he was sharing a motel room with a very annoying vampire who had been raised in the old west. The worst thing was this vampire was his only protection against THEM. He had run into Lyle and his gang in Arizona when he was on the run from the things that had been following him across the country. Hell, across the world. Ethan had managed to buy off the vampires with all the cash he had left in the world and even some cheap magicks he knew. 

    However, the vampires hadn't exactly been a proper defense against the things that were pursuing him. Oh no, they were little more than an annoyance. Only Lyle remained, partly because he was more experienced than the rest of his gang and partly because he knew to run when he had to. Clearly, Ethan needed better help. That's when he thought about using a spell to summon a beast to come to his aid. Just a little something from the local waters. He would have settled for a sea serpent, but when he got Gaira he was happy. Unfortunately, Chaos Magick being, well chaotic, his hold over the beast hadn't lasted very long. To add to his woes, Gaira seemingly disappeared. The news people were crediting Wonder Man for the monster disappearing. But Ethan knew that Ripper's little Slayer and her gaggle of chums had to be involved somehow. 

    He sighed as he looked to his right hand and the object he had duct taped to it, "All this trouble over this bloody trinket."

    "Ya know, If I was you I'd just give it to them.", Lyle responded

    "Yes and that's why I'm the brains and you're the hired muscle, Lyle. You think I'm daft enough to hand something over to those things if they actually want it? I may be an arse, but I'm not a stupid arse.", Ethan replied rolling his eyes

    "Yeah yeah. Well, think I'm gonna head out to have a smoke. Maybe admire the destruction. Scrounge up a bite.", Lyle said putting his hat and boots on. 

    "You're going to leave me here alone?!!", Ethan screamed in fear. 

     "Yer a big boy Ethan. I think you can handle yourself for a little while. Though if ya need me to leave on the night light, I will.", Lyle chuckled as he opened the door. He stopped chuckling when the drill bit entered his forehead and dug in. 

    Lyle gurgled and tried to fight off his attacker, but couldn't. He was too rapidly losing his frontal lobe. A violent push sent him sprawling on the motel floor. Ethan swallowed in fear. They had found him. 

    Across town, in a graveyard to be exact, a young woman stumbled in the mud as the cold rain beat down. She was cold, and wet, and crying. None of this was right. None of it at all. Just a few minutes ago she was standing in Willow's room by the window. Willow had on the nicest white blouse. But then it was red all of a sudden. It was like blood was on it, but Willow wasn't bleeding. She slammed her fist in the mud and let out a frustrated cry. Where was she? Where was Willow? 

    "W-what's going on?", Tara cried as she lay in the mud. 

    The crow that had pecked on her tombstone immediately landed in front of her and cawed at her. Tara looked at it dumbfounded. 

    "D-did you just say something?", Tara asked it, her eyes wide. 

    The crow cawed again. 

    Tara sat up and held her knees in front of her as it cawed, "Chosen? What do you mean I'm chosen?"

    The crow continued to caw at her, flapping its wings slightly.

    "B-but I'm not dead.", Tara said giving it an odd look. Well slightly more odd as she was talking to a crow. The crow continued. 

    "Oh. I was dead.", Tara replied to it, looking down. The crow cocked its head and cawed slightly. 

    "Yeah I guess I am taking it all pretty well. This is a Hellmouth. And it's not like like I'm the first dead person to come back to life here.", Tara spoke to it, feeling more at ease, "How long have I been dead?"

    The crow hopped up onto her shoulder and started cackling again. 

    "Wait a minute, y-you said I'm back from the dead but you don't know how long I've been dead?", Tara said looking at the bird. The bird began cawing again. 

    "Right. Just the messenger. Sorry.", Tara slightly blushed. 

    The crow leapt off of her shoulder and flew away at a startling rate. 

    "Hey, where are you going?!", Tara called after it.

    The crow cawed back its response. 

    "You're taking me h-home?", Tara replied. 

    The crow cackled again. 

    "Yes I'm going to follow you. No need to get snippy.", Tara said getting up. 

    Ethan sweat profusely as he backed against the wall in fright. They were here and his only method of protection had just suffered a lobotomy. He stared in abject fear of the thing standing above Lyle Gorch's prone form. 

    It was only average sized, but size was not what made it frightening. The bare parts of its body seemed to ooze blood and gore. Its arms seemed to be pure muscle. Bare muscle. Bare sinew. The parts of the body that were not bare were covered with black leather and wires. The wires seemed to intertwine with its body and in some cases even traveled through it. The creature's back seemed to be pure black metal. This is the area the drill bit had come. This is the area where it retreated to after it tore into Lyle's head. Speaking of heads, this creature had his covered with what seemed to be a black metal version of a bondage mask. Barbed wire wrapped around the head and went into the mouth of the mask. 

    Two others soon joined this creature. One was a female who had a demonic visage, yet disturbingly appealing visage to Ethan. She wore clothing that would make a dominatrix blush and at first glance seemed to have her hair in dreadlocks. But it wasn't hair. They were tendrils, each with a little horn at the end. The other was a taller creature similarly garbed in black leather. Its head was hideous, repulsive and twisted, devoid of eyes. But the sounds it made, the sounds were the worst because its jaws chattered endlessly. Teeth ground upon teeth. The sound made Ethan want to heave, but he held it in. When the final member of the group entered, Ethan did heave. Explosively. 

    He was the by the far the tallest of the newcomers. His black leather clothes hung at his body and almost made a skirt or kilt on his lower body. As you traveled up you would see various rips in the front of his clothing on the stomach and chest area. Coinciding with these rips were deep lacerations. His face was impassive and cold. His eyes were as dark as pitch. And his entire head was covered in nails. 

    "Ethan," it began in a cold, deep voice, "it's time."

    "N-no, get away!", Ethan screeched in horror. 

    "Oh Ethan. Your fear is so appetizing. Your pain must be absolutely mouth watering.", the creature replied coldly. 

    "Oh God.", Ethan said closing his eyes tightly. 

    "No sense in praying. He doesn't listen anyway.", the creature said again as it advanced. 

    Ethan threw up his hands in defense, "You can't harm me as long as I hold the box!"

    The creature regarded the object duct taped to Ethan's hand. 

    "Can't I? You've run for weeks Ethan. And we've found you. Your defenses, we've shattered. Can you run any further? I have hurt you in this way. And soon, I will raze your flesh and suck the marrow from your bones. And I will enjoy making you enjoy every agonizing second. Give me the box and accept destiny. Your fate is inevitable as is this world's. As inevitable as pain.", the creature said in an almost soothing voice. 

    Ethan looked around and saw one chance for escape. He ran past the creature and leapt onto the bed and past the others and threw himself through the window, "Lucky for me destiny is all a lot of rot!"

    The female moved to pursue. 

    "No Angelique. Let him go. There is nowhere left to run. He is hanging by his last thread. We will find him, and when we do the pain will be most succulent. Until then, the demon will do.", the lead creature said as hooks on chains seemingly came from nowhere and dug into Lyle Gorch and hung him high over the bed. The vampire's quick healing factor had already repaired his brain. He finally knew what had happened as he felt the skin ripped from his body. He was damned. 

     Buffy's house was reasonably quiet after Gaira's rampage and the Kevin Smith movies. Everyone was asleep with visions of Jason Mewes being eaten by the Gargantua. Everyone but Willow that was. She was sitting in the kitchen upset by the earlier events of the evening. She had given in to the dark again. She was weak. No one could really help her with her problem. No one understood. Certainly not Kennedy. Not even Buffy and Xander could understand. Only someone who used magick could understand. Someone like Amy or….

    "Tara?", Willow said in shock as the back door opened. 

    "Willow.", Tara smiled.  


	5. Obligatory Explanation Scene

    "Get away from me!"

    Spike sat up from his cot in the basement with a start, "That was Red."

    Immediately, Spike started racing up the basement stairs. He always liked the witch. Of course if he didn't have a soul he wouldn't rush to her rescue. He'd just saunter up and watch. Hell, a few years aback he had tried to kill her himself. Multiple times. Yeah so he was going to turn her while he did, so what? Now here he was prancing up the stairs like a magnificent poof to save someone who was perfectly capable of skinning someone alive with her thoughts. 

    "Damn Nineteenth century chivalry.", Spike thought to himself. His face vamped, as he slammed through the door at the top of the stairs ready for anything. Well, almost anything, "The hell?"

    There was Willow hands blazing with magick shouting in fear and rage at the First, who had the gall to take on the form of Tara and torment her. Spike growled in rage. He had always liked Tara too. She never treated him like a freak. 

    "W-Willow, sweetie it's me. What's wrong?", The First asked her doing Tara dead on. 

    "Thespia protect from this evil. Bathe me in light, protect from this thing of darkness and night!", Willow said hysterically. 

    "Willow…. please baby, stop. I love you.", The First pleaded teary.

    Spike's demon flared up inside. This thing was hurting Red's heart. He had known that pain all too well. From Cecily, Drusilla, and Buffy. Spike had had enough. In his rage, Spike charged the First. He had also forgotten that the First was non-corporeal, yet for some odd reason he managed to tackle it out the door and into the backyard. 

       "S-Spike?", the actual Tara asked as he carried her into the muddy backyard. 

     "You monster! How could you hurt her like that?", Spike said hitting her with all his might.

    Three things shocked Tara afterwards. For one she figured his chip should have gone off. Secondly, the blow hadn't hurt as she had thought it would with Spike being super strong. She was most surprised by the fact that she hit him back almost on instinct. Spike roared in anger and hammered back. Tara went sprawling and slipped in the mud as she tried to get back up. She looked up in fright as Willow threw Spike an axe and he twirled it, cockily waggling his eyebrows. She was terrified as the axe started to come down.

    "Caw! Caw!", the crow that had spoke to her cried as it flew into Spike's face and started pecking wildly. Spike stopped in mid swing and tried to swat away the offending bird. Tara surveyed the situation and swept Spike's feet out from underneath of him. She was a nice person by nature but she was being pushed too far right now. She attacked him on her knees, just as he recovered on his own knees. They looked hands and gritted fang and tooth in frustration as neither seemed to be able to get the best of the other. They both stopped though when Buffy pressed twin crossbows to each of their temples. 

    "Okay now. Kids, you need to come out of the rain.", Buffy snidely remarked.

    "B-Buffy.", Tara said with a stutter

    "Kill it love. It was in there tormenting her like it has all of us!", Spike bellowed

    "Spike, calm down. It isn't the First, otherwise you couldn't touch it.", Buffy explained not wavering, "On the other hand it could be any one of shape shifting demons that live on the Hellmouth. Of course you could be going psycho again too since the First has been pushing your buttons. I'm not taking chances. Giles, get the rope."

    Minutes later, Spike and Tara were both tied to chairs in the kitchen with a houseful of Potential Slayers, the current Slayer, a seriously powerful witch, a distinguished British fellow who had once been a Watcher, and the Slayer's non-existent younger sister who was actually at heart a primal universal energy source (but really lets not go into that cause it just leads to more and more questions). Everyone was seriously wondering just what the hell was going on at the moment. No one knew, but they were going to find out. Giles and Willow were preparing a truth spell. Tara looked over at Spike sheepishly. 

    "So now I know how you felt when they used to tie you to chairs a few years ago.", Tara said shyly to the bleach blonde vampire.

    "Sucks huh?", Spike replied looking her over. If this wasn't Tara then someone was doing their homework. He looked over at her and leaned in as far as he could and whispered, "Glinda, it really you?"

    Tara blushed at his nickname for her after she had watched the Wizard of Oz with him at Giles' once when he was tied up, "Spike, please don't call me that."

    Spike smirked wolfishly, "Sod the truth spell, it is you. Sorry for, uh, hitting you out there."

    Tara looked at him oddly. Spike just…. apologized. That was so alien. Then Tara started looking at him closer. She began to concentrate and studied his aura. The last time she had done so, it had been pure black signifying the evil of the demon within him. Now, it still had that black but there were only spots of it. It was mostly white. Realization hit Tara. 

    "You have a s-soul.", Tara stammered. 

    Spike sighed, "Yeah. From all accounts I got it 'round the time you… well, died."

    Tara frowned at the word. Her crow told her that she had died. She still had problems believing it. But everyone was reacting to her so strangely that it must be true. Willow's reaction cut her deepest of all. 

    "Spike, ", Tara said barely above a whisper, "how did I die?"

    Spike sighed and looked at her for a long time, "I wasn't actually around when you did. I left the night before after…an argument with Buffy. One of the Trio, Warren came up and shot at Buffy. Nailed her too. Almost killed her. One of the shots he fired missed. Went through the window upstairs and hit you right through the heart. You died near instantly from what I hear. After that, Red….well, she stopped Warren from hurting anyone else."

    "Okay I think we're ready.", Willow said warily eyeing the tied up Tara. 

    Willow and Giles sat the materials on the kitchen floor and began making various symbols with liquids from flasks. 

    "I am not mopping that up.", Buffy noted mentally as Willow began chanting as some pink energies swirled up and coated the Spike and Tara.

    "If the spell worked correctly, then the energy around them should turn white when they tell the truth and black when they lie.", Willow explained.

    "Wow. Better than a lie detector test.", Dawn quipped sleepily.

    "Okay,", Buffy started, "Spike, are you yourself right now?"

    "Yes Slayer, now if you'd untie me I'd be insanely grateful.", Spike replied as he shined white. 

    "Kennedy, untie him.", Buffy ordered.

    "Darn. I was hoping he was evil and I could stake him.", Kennedy said maliciously to the vampire. How Buffy could trust him she didn't know. 

    "Killed a lot worse than you, bint.", Spike growled in warning. 

    Willow looked apprehensively at Tara.

    "Are you a demon?", Willow asked

    "No. Willow, it's me Tara. I'm back.", Tara said as she shone bright white. 

    "Tara?", Willow said in a nearly hushed voice.

    "Yeah baby. It's me.", Tara smiled. Willow scrambled over and untied her as quickly as she could. Kennedy scowled and clenched her fist.

    "Don't look so eager Will.", Kennedy practically spat. Willow looked to her and then Tara again. 

    "Tara….this is Kennedy….my girlfriend.", Willow said looking down. Tara couldn't have been hit harder with a Mack truck. 

    "Oh.", was all she could muster. 

    Giles saw the situation and the wily Brit was determined to salvage it. 

    "Tara, erm, it's fantastic that you're back, but I must ask you how it is that you are….well…."

    "Alive and kicking?", Spike finished

    "Er yes.", Giles replied.     

    "Well, I'm not sure. Probably has something to do with the crow sitting out on the porch banister.", Tara explained.

    "A crow?", Giles replied surprised. He knew how she had returned. 


	6. Rule of Thumb: Avoid Bars in Sunnydale

    Ethan stumbled into Willy's around dawn. There were plenty of patrons there, both human and demonic. Many of them had lost their homes or places of business and were drowning their sorrows in the unscathed bar. Hell, some were celebrating. Ethan wasn't. He was defenseless except for the puzzle box that he had duct taped to his hand weeks prior. That was the only thing protecting him from mind numbing pain. It was the only thing protecting him from the Cenobites. He was at the end of his rope. He hadn't bathed, shaved, or slept in a week. He hadn't eaten in days. And he hadn't had good Scotch in God only knows how long. He sat at a stool by the bar and watched a Fyarrl demon actually celebrating the damage that had been done in the town. Ethan wondered how useful it would be against the Cenobites. Probably wouldn't even slow them down. 

    "Well, well Ethan Rayne back in my bar. What's it been Ethan? Two years?", Willy, the human owner of the bar remarked to Ethan as he cleaned a glass

    "Three actually.", Ethan managed to murmur, "Scotch. Make it strong."

    "So what brings you back to the Hellmouth? Last I hard you got taken captive by the government or something.", Willy said pouring Ethan's drink

    "Something like that. On the run actually.", Ethan said taking the drink and downing it in one gulp.

    "Who'd you piss off?", Willy grinned.

    Ethan gave him a long, hard, incredulous look, "You do NOT want to know. It's all because of this trinket though". He raised his right hand and showed the box that he had expertly duct taped to his appendage. 

    "What is that?", Willy asked

    "Heaven. Or Hell.", a soothingly beautiful voice came. Ethan turned and swallowed in fear. The female Cenobite, Angelique stood there with the Chattering Cenobite standing nearby. Willy stepped back in fear. Human patrons froze. Even some demons looked shocked at the appearance of the Cenobites. 

    A particularly stupid human tried to run past the two newcomers and out the door. As he went, Angelique merely smiled making him feel a combination of revulsion and arousal. It was a long enough distraction for the Chattering Cenobite to grab him and start brutally biting into his skull. Each second the chattering teeth feel upon the skull of the poor man, who was screaming in pain. Angelique tittered girlishly as the man screamed louder and shriller with each passing second. Then she sighed and nodded to the Chatterer, who somehow saw her without the benefit of eyes, and took a tool from his belt. The tool, resembling a serrated knife, carved into the man's back effortlessly. The Chatterer pushed and pushed the blade deeper and deeper until it came out the mouth of the still writhing man in a sort of twisted mockery of a puppet. Angelique turned to Ethan. 

    "That was something we rarely use Ethan dearest. That was mercy.", Angelique said licking her lips. 

    "Wow. I simply can't believe this.", Xander said looking at Buffy and the rest of the Scooby Gang, "Tara's alive?"

    "Yeah. She came in late last night. Even had a fight with Spike.", Buffy explained. 

    "And she's still alive? Jeez Spike, losing your touch man.", Xander smirked

    Spike replied by flipping Xander off. 

    "That is hard to believe. I would have expected Spike to twist Tara's head off and urinate on her remains if they ever fought.", Anya chimed in. 

    "Anya!", Willow yelled in shock. 

    "What? Oh, too forthright?", Anya asked

    "Yes An, a tad.", Xander replied.

    "Something different about her. She was strong. As strong as Buffy or me.", Spike said, speaking up. 

    "I believe I know what it is.", Giles said reservedly. 

    "Well what is it?", Buffy asked. 

    "Well, Tara seemed to believe that that crow that has been following her around and supposedly speaking to her has something to do with her resurrection. She's right. In many cultures, crows and ravens are seen as harbingers of death. From Europe and Asia, to the early North Americas. I've heard legends of beings that are resurrected by crows and…"

    "They're a type of wraith.", Anya said as she flipped through a copy of Vogue.

    "I beg your pardon?", Giles asked.

    "Well, standard thing really. Happens every now and then. Oh look, shoes.", Anya said excitedly. Everyone looked at her bizarrely making her slowly look up from the magazine, "Well I was a Vengeance Demon for over a thousand years. Every once in a while a crow will resurrect someone to seek vengeance on their murderers making them a sort of wraith. We kept tabs on the competition."

    "How does a crow resurrect someone though? It's just a bird.", Xander asked

    "Well they were sent by the competition.", Anya said pointing up to the ceiling. 

    "Anya is correct. People once believed that a crow could carry spirits to the land of the dead. However, sometimes a great sadness was carried with that spirit and it couldn't rest until it made things right.", Giles finished.

    "So who's Tara after? I mean Warren killed her but he's dead. There's no one to go after. Unless….", Buffy looked at Andrew, who nearly fainted straight away. 

    "I don't think so. Andrew wasn't responsible for Tara's death as he was incarcerated at the moment she died. It may be someone else though I'm at a loss for whom.", Giles said, his brow furrowed. 

    "It's me.", Willow said, "It's my fault. I should have saved her. It's my fault she died."

    Buffy went over to her friend and hugged her, "Willow don't be silly. It's not your fault. And hey, she's back now."

    "Yeah, until she finds whoever it is she's supposed to be after and kills them and goes back to being dead.", Anya said trying to be helpful by failing miserably. Everyone merely looked at her as if she had grown another head. 

    Upstairs, Tara was enjoying one of life's little pleasures. A nice, hot shower and a talk with one of her best friends. 

    "I'm really glad you're back.", Dawn said sitting on the bathroom sink. 

    "Glad to be back Dawnie, though it feels like I never left.", Tara said enjoying the feel of the water. 

    "Well, you're back now and you can kick that skank Kennedy's ass.", Dawn smirked

    "Dawnie!", Tara admonished. 

    "What? She can be a real bitch to the other Potentials when they're training. Yesterday she was making Amanda do fifty push ups with Rona and Molly pushing her down just to abuse her power. And its just, well, I like you and Willow together more than I do Kennedy and Willow.", Dawn explained.

    "Dawnie, if I've been gone for almost a year I expect Willow to move on even if it doesn't feel that long to me. It hurts and I love her more than anything but I was dead.", Tara replied.

    "Spike never moved past Buffy when she died.", Dawn retorted.

    "Buffy wasn't dead as long as I was. Either time. Spike would have moved on eventually", Tara said

    "Still I'd like to see you get back together with Willow.", Dawn explained.

    "I would too Dawnie. More than anything.", Tara replied then looked up at her crow sitting on the shower curtain rod watching her, "Hey, Poe turn around."

    The crow cackled and turned to face Dawn. 

    "You named your crow Poe?", Dawn asked.

    "Kind of fitting huh?", Tara smiled.

    "Was kinda expecting Miss Crowy Fantastico.", Dawn replied. Poe squawked.

    "Dawnie, Poe's a boy bird."

    Downstairs the phone rang. Buffy sprinted to it to prevent any cranky Potential Slayers being woken up by it and ruining the day. Buffy could make out screams and moans on the other end, in addition to a very small voice.

    "Slayer, I need your help.", Willy said frightened over the phone. 

    "Who is this?", Buffy asked

    "It's Willy. Willy the Snitch. My bar's in shambles Slayer. Some new demons blew into it and are tearing everyone up literally, human and demon alike. I don't ask you for favors, but you gotta help me. Please.", Willy said in a quivering voice

    Buffy had known Willy for years. Hell she'd broken his nose repeatedly for information. And he never once asked for help, but if those sounds were any indication he needed it. Buffy breathed in deep. 

    "Hold on. I'll be right there.", she said hanging up the phone. And heading for the weapons trunk, "Got some problems guys. Willy's bar is getting attacked by some demons. Giles, you stay here with the Potentials and be ready. These guys may work for the First for all we know and could attack. I need all of you here."

    "You'll need backup.", Xander said

    "Xander, these things are wiping out other demons. I know you'd want to be there but you wouldn't last a minute. You'd know that if you heard what I did.", Buffy replied

    "Take me. My magick might be able to help.", Willow stated.

    "I know it could Will. It's why I need you here in case these things come for the Potentials. You may be the only thing that could protect them.", Buffy said honestly.

    "Okay.", Willow said acknowledging she was right. Buffy picked up a crossbow and an axe and headed for the door. Spike followed her.

    "Wish I could come with you.", Spike said almost tenderly.

    "Me too, but daylight. No hope of that. But it's the thought that counts.", Buffy said, giving him a slight smile.

    "Be careful."

    "I will."

    Angelique kissed the huge ape-like demon as it feel to the ground, disemboweled and trying to put its intestines back in. 

    "Mmmm Ethan. Thank you for this gift. It's exquisite.", Angelique smiled as she surveyed the tortured forms of man and demon alike. The Chatterer stood blocking an escape Ethan could have, "And dear Ethan, do you know what's best? We can't take the box from you, but one of these things surely would in order to spare themselves the suffering."

    "Yeah, well if they want him they have to get in line. He's already got people he pisses off."

    Angelique turned and licked her lips, "Who are you dearie?"

    "I'm Buffy. The Vampire Slayer.", Buffy said holding her weapons high.


	7. Obligatory Barroom Brawl Scene

    The halls of Sunnydale High School were mostly deserted. It was a Saturday and besides that a giant monster had attacked the town the night before. Oddly enough, this time no one seemed to doubt it was a giant monster yet they still have problems believing in vampires and demons. Odd people those Sunnydale folk. Regardless, the high school's halls were almost empty. And everyone from the students down to Principal Wood should be glad that they were not in session. 

    "Oh what symphonies I could compose here. What art I could illustrate.", the pinheaded lead Cenobite said to the one with the metallic back as they strode through the halls, "Do you know the glory of youth?"

    The metal backed Cenobite didn't respond immediately. He was fixated on the lockers and the halls, "What? I'm sorry sir. I just…drifted for a moment there. It won't happen again."

    "The glory of youth is the illusion of immortality.", the pin headed Cenobite responded in his impassive voice. Whether he had heard the apology or not was debatable, "The concept of death is distant and never to be learned. Pain, pain does not exist. Only the need for pleasure, for gratification exists. How I ache to tear down that illusion. To destroy naïve minds and let them experience the glory of suffering. The sweet kiss of torment. The salvation that is flesh being cut and sewn and severed. How I ache to bring salvation to this world."

    The two Cenobites walked up to the top of the building and went out on the roof. Through their eyes they could see the arcane energies of the Hellmouth rising up through the building from below the principal's office. The Lead Cenobite pointed to the spot just above the office where the energy was strongest, "Begin construction there Maker."

    Maker observed the area and put his hand to his chin thinking.

    "I'll need materials.", he replied to the Lead Cenobite.

    "Then find them.", the imposing Cenobite said calculatingly as he turned to go. 

    "Where are you going?", Maker asked.

    "Communion.", The Cenobite said as he disappeared back down into the school. 

    "So let me guess, you guys are leftovers from Time's Squares S and M shops after Guiliani kicked you out? Or do you just have really poor fashion sense?", Buffy asked the Chatterer and Angelique. 

    Angelique smiled seductively, "You don't find me beautiful?"

    "Ew. Straight here thanks." Buffy said as she fired a bolt from her crossbow at Angelique. It hit its mark perfectly. Angelique merely looked down at it and smiled at Buffy.

    "You know, not that you liking girls makes you a bad person. I mean some of my best friends are gay. No really, I'm not just saying that.", Buffy said trying to hide her shock that the arrow hadn't done as well as she had hoped. 

    Angelique advanced, "I could give you a nice collar. Would you like that? To be my lapdog? I bet you'd be a good lapdog."

    Buffy sneered and fired bolt after bolt into Angelique who kept coming with her strangely enticing smile. 

    "No thanks. I'm the kind of dog that bites.", Buffy said firing more bolts. 

    Angelique licked her lips as she walked closer, "Tease."

    When she was within striking distance, Buffy whipped out the axe she had strapped to her back out and buried it in Angelique's skull. 

    "Not really.", Buffy smirked as she pulled the axe out and did a spin kick that sent Angelique sprawling into and over a table. Buffy smiled and looked to the Chatterer, "You next handsome?"

    The Chatterer's only reply was the sound of his teeth clacking together. Buffy took a few practice swings with her axe and stepped forward to face him. However, she was gripped from behind by strong arms that made her drop her axe. Angelique smiled and licked Buffy's neck with a tongue that felt like sandpaper being raked against her flesh.

    "You are a tease. I can taste it on you. Taste how much you get turned on by demons. How dirty you want to feel with that blonde vampire above you, below you, behind you, in front, everywhere.", Angelique giggled girlishly.

    Buffy was shocked, "How do you know about that?!"

    "I tasted it on you. I also tasted how guilty it makes you feel. I can make your guilt go away forever. You can be the whore of Babylon you're meant to be.", Angelique said licking her again. Buffy responded with a violent head butt that made Angelique release her grip, and then using a Judo throw, sent Angelique spiraling into the Chatterer knocking both demons down.

    "Read my lips, I'M STRAIGHT.", Buffy said picking up her axe again with a murderous glint in her eyes. 

    Angelique sat up and smiled, "Not after I make your beautiful little spine crooked."

    The Chatterer clacked in agreement as they both stood. 

    "Okay that sound is annoying.", Buffy said swinging the axe taking off the Chatterer's head and sending it flying. The Chatterer's hand still shot out and grabbed Buffy by the throat and squeezed hard making it very hard to breathe. She hacked his arm off just below the elbow and pried the offending appendage off. She staggered back and coughed loudly as the still standing body of the Chatterer seemed to follow her every move. Angelique meanwhile walked to where the Chatterer's still clacking head lay and picked it. She French kissed it as the jaws clacked together on her tongue. She laughed and recoiled her tongue and walked to where the Chatterer's body stood. She placed the head on its rightful shoulders and red mist seemed to spring up from where it had been lacerated. It was fusing back on. The Chatterer then bent down and picked up its amputated arm and likewise fused it back on. Buffy was having a hard time believing this as she coughed and sputtered.

    "What does it take to kill you people?", Buffy coughed. 

    "Death is relative. You should know that, Buffy.", Angelique smiled, "Did you like it in the grave? Did it keep you warm and safe? Do you still need Spike to make you feel alive? Maybe I can keep you both as pets and make you both mine. I'm certain he'd like that. You would too."

    Buffy stammered in fear. The things this thing was saying were frightening. It was throwing her off, making her unable to fight them properly. She had been like this before, back when……Buffy smiled. Then she charged swinging her axe. The two Cenobites were ready for her until she gracefully somersaulted up over them and crouched as she landed, hacking their knees with her weapon. The two demons fell in a heap. 

    "You know what? That kind of talk was scary when I was seventeen and it was coming from my boyfriend who had kind of lost his soul. It's not that scary now. All you're doing is trying to get a psychological advantage. Giles taught me not to fall for that. As for your little powers, they're not bad as far as parlor tricks go, but you've barely fought me. It makes me think you can't.", Buffy said as she hacked at the two downed Cenobites, who were struggling to get off of one another and stand up.

    "Oh kitten, don't be mad. Let me make it better.", Angelique replied. Buffy grabbed her by her tendrils and with a mighty swing threw her across the room into the wall.

    "No means no, you skank.", Buffy growled. She then ducked as the Chatterer swung his blade at her from behind her. Using her axe's side, she knocked the knife from the demon's hand and then slid onto her back hacking the demon's stomach. 

    "And you, kind of hard to sneak up on someone when you make noise all the time. But lucky for you, Dr. Summers is here to help with a little plan I like to call, SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY!", Buffy said shooting her hands into the Chatterer's mouth, placing one on the lower jaw and another on the upper one. With a loud crack, the Chatterer's jaws were broken and unable to clack together. Buffy then savagely backhanded the demon again and again making it stagger. 

    Angelique approached from behind, picking up the Chatterer's blade. She lunged at Buffy who simply shifted to the side, rolling along Angelique's arm and pushing her hard into the Chatterer. The blade cut through him like a hot knife through butter. Buffy then reached around both Angelique and the Chatterer and snapped Angelique's arm preventing her from pulling it out. Buffy smirked and kissed Angelique's cheek. 

    "Honestly, I AM flattered but you're just not my type. We can get mochas sometime if you like though.", Buffy quipped as she head butted Angelique again before the demoness could respond. Buffy then casually walked up to the bar and slid over onto the other side startling the hiding Willy, "Willy, I need your lighter. Oh and go open that trap door to the sewers you have."

    Willy slowly reached into his apron and handed it to her. Buffy smiled and sat it on the bar. Whistling she picked five bottles of liquor off of the shelves behind the bar. Then, with the intensity of a major league baseball pitcher, she lobbed bottle after bottle onto the two Cenobites drenching them in liquor. Buffy then leapt back over the bar, walked over, and set the demons on fire with a spring in her step. Willy by now had warily walked around to the trap door and had opened it. Buffy noted this and picked up one of the bar's tables and charged using the table as a battering ram and sending both Cenobites toppling down the hole. She then slammed the door for emphasis.

    "I'd go home Willy. They'll be back. Get some EMT's here for the people and….whatever demons use for the demons first though.", Buffy ordered. Willy nodded slightly, "Excuse me for a second Willy."

    Buffy picked up a bar stool that had been knocked over and promptly threw it over her back nailing Ethan with it as he tried to flee. He fell to the ground, out cold. Buffy walked over to the Chaos mage and sighed. 

    "I know I'm really going to regret this but even if you are an evil slimeball Ethan, you're coming with me."


	8. Ethan can be a wanker sometimes

    Groggily, Ethan awoke and realized he was tied to a bloody chair. Then he came face to face with Giles sitting mere feet away.

    "Ethan.", Giles spat

    "Ripper.", Ethan spat back. 

    Giles stood up and walked over to Ethan and punched him in the face. "That was for turning me into a Fyyarl demon the last time I saw you, you wanker!"

    "Good seeing you again too.", Ethan moaned in pain. Buffy then entered the room with Spike, Dawn, Willow, Tara, and Xander in tow. 

    "Oh good, the hostage has woken up.", Buffy chirped.

    "Bloody hell.", Ethan groaned.

    "Speaking of things from Hell, what kind of demons were those earlier?", Buffy asked sitting right in front of Ethan, "Oh and why shouldn't I just throw you to them the next time I see them while you're at it."

    "And what's this thing?", Xander said holding the Box. Ethan looked at his hand and saw it was no longer duct taped to him.

    "Leave that alone you idiot!", Ethan screeched in fear making both Xander jump back a little and Buffy punch him in the face. 

    "Don't call my friends idiots Ethan.", Buffy warned. 

    "You don't understand! Make him put it down!", Ethan screamed. Buffy punched him again.

    "Use your indoor voice sweetie.", Buffy said mockingly. 

    Giles saw the fear on his old University chum's face and immediately took the Box from Xander.

    "Ethan, I want you to be honest with me for once. Is this what I think it is?", Giles asked apprehensively. 

    Ethan swallowed and nodded slowly. This time Giles punched him. 

    "You idiot! I wouldn't think even you would be stupid or corrupt enough to play with a device of this thing's reputation!", Giles' face contorted with rage. 

    "You're one to talk about flirting with dark powers Ripper.", Ethan groaned. 

    "Ethan, summoning Eyeghon was a long time ago. I was younger than Buffy is now.", Giles yelled setting the box on the kitchen counter. 

    "Whoa, care to elaborate us not in the know as to what this doodad is?", Xander asked.

    Giles sat down and took his glasses off to clean them, "I've only heard rumors. I'm afraid I don't even remember the precise name of this object. A few centuries ago in France, a sorcerer contracted a toy maker to build an elaborate puzzle box. After completion, the sorcerer infused the box with powerful magicks. These magicks were capable of opening dimensional portals. When you'd twist and turn the pieces you came a step closer to opening these portals."

     "The box supposedly can open a gateway to either Heaven or Hell dependent on which pattern you move the pieces in.", Ethan helped explain, "More often than not though, the portal turns out to be the one to Hell."

     "You knew that and you still played with it?", Willow asked.

    "It was worth the gamble.", Ethan said, "An old man gave it to me in Wales a few weeks ago. He was probably a demon now that I think of it. I figured it'd be an interesting trip, sort of like summoning demons like Ripper and I did in the old days. I was wrong. I opened up the portal and out they came. Four of them. They told me what they were going to do to me. But the wankers made a mistake. They told me to give them the box, but would never take it from me. It was because they couldn't. They couldn't directly harm me while I held it. I decided to have a little fun. I started playing with the box again and closed their portal behind them, trapping them here. In retrospect, that probably wasn't a good idea."

    "Ya THINK?!", Xander asked. 

    "Definitely not considering these things looked like nightmares from S and M porn.", Buffy replied.

    "Ethan, you stupid tosser. There was something you didn't consider.", Giles said slowly, coldly. 

    "What's that?", Ethan asked

    "The box opened and closed the portal to Hell. It brought them here. IT COULD SEND THEM BACK!! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU, YOU STUPID, STUPID MAN?!!!", Giles roared louder than anyone in the room had ever heard him before.

    "Right then. Just fiddle around with it then. Send them back and things will be peachy.", Ethan said to Giles.

    "None of these children will ever touch that box again to attempt to, because I fear its too late for that. And four of these things is enough thank you.", Giles spat coldly, slipping from his proper British accent to his street wise Cockney. 

    "Hey what's this do?", Andrew said coming in and reaching for the box. 

    "Don't touch that you little poofter!", Giles yelled.

    "Fine. See if I let you watch my Star Trek DVDs now.", Andrew said defensively as he left the room in a huff. 

    "Well at least I have adequate help now.", Ethan smiled at the group. 

    "Giles, can I kill him?", Buffy asked angrily. 

    "Kill me?! What did I do?", Ethan asked.

    "Well aside from the current predicament, you turned me into a Fyyarl demon.", Giles spat coldly. 

    "You made all the adults act like teens again so the Mayor could have babies kidnapped and fed to a demon as a tribute.", Willow said equally coldly.

    "Now wait a minute, I didn't know they were going to do that!", Ethan defended.

    "You tied me up and tried to get Eyeghon to kill me in your place.", Buffy growled.

    "And let's not forget Halloween night when you made most of us turn into what costumes we wore. Spike almost killed Buffy when she couldn't fight.", Xander added.

    "That was you?!!", Spike laughed earning a cold look from Buffy. He then stopped laughing and looked at Ethan, "You're a very bad man!"

    "Well let's look at what you've done to me. I rotted in a government holding cell for a year!", Ethan yelled.

    "Yeah and if you would have just stayed there then we wouldn't be in this situation!", Buffy yelled back. 

    Tara silently slunk away from the argument. Yelling always made her feel like she was back with her family. She headed upstairs and went to her room, which she also shared with God only knew how many Potential Slayers. Thank God Kennedy had them out training. Tara sat on the bed as Poe flew down beside her.

    "Caw.", Poe cackled. 

    "Yeah they are loud.", Tara said tickling his chin. 

    "Hey.", Willow said from the doorway.

    "Hey. Get too loud for you too?", Tara asked. 

    "Yeah. Things kind of took a turn for the worst when Buffy and Giles punched Ethan at the same time.", Willow laughed slightly. 

    "They could catch more flies with honey than vinegar.", Tara replied.

    Willow beamed. This was her Tara alright. Always believing the best about people regardless. Willow sat beside her on the bed. 

    "How are you holding up?", Willow asked.

    "I-It's different. Being gone a year. I missed the second Lord of the Rings movie. Was looking forward to that too.", Tara said with a sweet smile. 

    "I've missed a lot of things too. Mainly you though.", Willow said to her. 

    "Willow, I'm so sorry I left.", Tara said looking down.

    "What? Tara, sweetie, it wasn't your fault.", Willow replied trying to move close to her to embrace her. Tara pulled away.

    "Willow no. Please d-don't.", Tara said defensively

    "Don't what?", Willow questioned

    "You're with Kennedy.", Tara replied. 

    Willow grimaced and scooted away, "Yeah. I am. I like her, but I know if I touched you I wouldn't be able to let go."

    There was an uncomfortable silence.

    "I should go.", Willow said breaking it. 

    "N-no Willow don't…", Tara said touching Willow's arm to keep her from leaving. That's when things got weird. Tara started seeing things. She saw she and Willow running from the Gentlemen. She saw how their relationship blossomed. She saw herself getting her sanity stolen away by Glory. She saw her singing to Willow. She saw them breaking up. She saw Willow isolated trying to give up magick. She saw them getting back together and felt how amazing that night had been all over. She saw from Willow's point of view as she was shot. She saw Willow killing Warren horribly. She saw a Willow with ebon hair and eyes beating Buffy into the ground. She felt tears as Willow cried into Xander's shoulder. She saw her own funeral. She saw Willow's agony and felt how hard the loss had been. 

    Tara pulled Willow close and kissed her long and passionately. Willow soon reciprocated and kissed back. Their hands caressed one another as tears poured from both their eyes. They had found one another again. They would always find one another. 

    "BITCH!", Kennedy screamed from the doorway

    Tara and Willow broke the embrace as Kennedy charged them. 


	9. Sometimes they come back

    The Pinheaded Cenobite sat in the confines of the school's basement. He seemed to be praying, if you could say a creature as demonic as he could pray. It could be said he was praying, to his god, his father, the Hell Lord called Leviathan. He was praying that he would be successful in his quest. That he would be successful in pleasing Leviathan. He prayed that he would finally give Leviathan a suitable token of servitude. A gift, a world where the pain of its inhabitants, all its inhabitants, could be made limitless and eternal. A world like earth. 

    "Well, that's an interesting look you have going on there. You kids today'll pierce anything won't ya?", an incessantly happy voice rang out. 

    The large Cenobite opened his eyes and looked to where the voice had come from. It was a middle aged man, balding slightly on top, in a suit with what seemed to be a constant smile on his face. The Cenobite rose. 

    "Let me show you the glories of…"

    "Blah blah blah blah blah.", the man said instantly changing to a voluptuous young woman in a red dress, "But since you said Glory sweet thing, here I am."

    The Cenobite simply watched impassively then narrowed his eyes. From nowhere a chain with a hook at the end flew at the young woman, and simply passed through. If the large Cenobite was actually surprised he hid it. He did find voice again though. 

    "What are you?", he asked

    "I'm a lot of things sweetie. I'm a lot of people. Hmmm, maybe I'll give you a form that you can more easily recognize.", the woman said turning to a handsome man of about six foot one with spiked black hair and clad in all black clothing. 

    The Cenobite's eyes opened wide in recognition, "The vampire with the soul."

    "Yeah Pinhead, can I call you Pinhead? The vampire with a soul that you tortured for three hundred years in Hell, though only about what, three months went by here?", the creature that looked exactly like the heroic vampire Angel said. 

    "Your impetuousness should be punished.", Pinhead said in response to the insult, actually flinching in anger for a moment, before regaining his composure. 

    "Aren't we just the high and mighty thing?", the Not Angel said in return, "Good for you I kind of like that when it's used properly."

    "What are you?", Pinhead asked again.

    "What are you?", the Not Angel asked with a smirk, "I'll tell you what you are. You're a Cenobite, one of Hell's most elite torturers. Of course you weren't always."

    "I have always been.", Pinhead responded with a growl.

    The Not Angel simply turned into a gaunt man dressed in the uniform of a World War One British Colonel. 

    "You used to look like this.", the Colonel said in a British accent before returning to the form of Angel. 

    Pinhead seemed to get dizzy and lowered his head closing his eyes, "No…I have always been…"

    "Lied to by Leviathan. Yes I know, but then again mind games have always been that child's forte. He gets a kick out of it, but then I guess most of us do.", the Not Angel said walking around Pinhead. 

    "What are you?", Pinhead asked again, sounding distant. 

    "Well let's put it this way. If you consider yourself to be Leviathan's "son", then you could call me "Grandpa".", Not Angel replied.

    "Y-you are Leviathan's father?", Pinhead asked losing his cold, frozen features and taking on more human expressions. 

    "Well, not exactly. I made Leviathan. Made him what he is. And I've been pulling his strings, or hooks…whatever. Thing is though, since Leviathan is basically my action figure, and you're his….well you belong to me.", Not Angel said standing in front of Pinhead. 

    "I belong to Leviathan and Leviathan only.", Pinhead said in uncustomary rage. 

    "Be quiet little boy. Or I'll show you what I REALLY am and I guarantee than it would make even you scream like a little girl.", Not Angel said in rage. Pinhead backed away slowly. He was feeling something he hadn't felt in a long time. Fear. 

    "Now then, where was I? Oh yeah, you belong to me. Right. Anywho, I can't help but notice that you're here on MY Hellmouth. Also can't help but read those itty bitty thoughts of yours and know that you plan on having your little friend on the roof build a sort of dimensional oil rig. That you're going to use the Box to power it and then, wham. Earth gets a piece of Leviathan's little hell superimposed on top of it. That's what I call fun. Personally kiddo, I want you to do it. I'd love to see this world torn to bits, because its always been a pain in the old non-corporeal ass straight from the beginning. Fact is though, you'll never get the job done.", Not Angel said walking away smiling. 

    "Why not?", Pinhead asked. 

    "Because you need the Box, and the Slayer has it. In fact, the Slayer roughed up a few of your goons earlier today. They're healed though. Coming back here in fear of telling you they failed to get the Box. That Slayer, she's good.", Not Angel explained.

    "I'll tear her soul apart.", Pinhead said matter of factly. 

    "Yeah, I've heard that one before. Every big monster or demon that has come through here has said that. They're either dead, have left, or are in love with her. Also, you really think you can just waltz up to her and tear her apart and take the Box? She's smart. She'd destroy it before she'd hand it over to you. Only reason she hasn't is because they're unsure if destroying it causes a dimensional rip. But when push comes to shove…", Not Angel told her. 

     "Then…what do I do?", Pinhead said almost childlike. 

     "That a boy. Asking your elders for advice. It's a good quality. Well, if there's one thing this Slayer I know is that brute force won't get it done. I'm sure you can think up something from there. Just don't go in all guns blazing and try to take the Box. It'll get smashed and you'll be trapped here forever. No Hell on earth, even if you do manage to kill the Slayer.", Not Angel explained. 

    "I…see. I have much to consider.", Pinhead said regaining his cold demeanor as he turned to leave. 

    "What do you say?", Not Angel smirked. 

    Pinhead turned, "Thank you."

    The Not Angel kept smiling and held his hands out in a gesture that meant for Pinhead to add something.

    "Thank you….master.", Pinhead replied as he turned. 

    The First smiled evilly as Pinhead walked away, "I love it when a plan comes together."

    Kennedy screamed loudly and threw Tara from the bed. Poe leapt into the air and onto the nightstand squawking. Tara looked up at Kennedy surprised. Willow instantly leapt into the mix. 

    "Kennedy stop!", Willow ordered. 

    "No! I knew it! I just knew that she'd try to get her claws into you!", Kennedy said angrily. 

    "I d-didn't try to hurt you K-Kennedy…I-I", Tara stuttered. She knew with her new powers, she could easily defeat the Potential Slayer. Even if she was just plain old Tara, she could probably use some sort of magick to make it more even. But Tara was not a violent person by nature. She only used it if there were no other course of action. She hopped that this wasn't one of those times.  

    "Shut up!", Kennedy said trying to push past Willow to get to Tara.

    "Kennedy I said stop!", Willow replied as she pushed out with her mind and pushed Kennedy back a little. 

    "Willow, she's trying to take advantage of your feelings!", Kennedy replied. 

    "Kennedy I wanted that kiss okay?", Willow said to her. Kennedy immediately stopped trying to push past Willow and just looked at her. 

    "Oh.". Kennedy managed to say, "Well……I'll just leave you two alone then!"

    Kennedy rushed out of the room, tears already starting to sting her face.

    "Kennedy!", Willow called out after her. She then turned back to Tara, "I'm sorry."

    "No. I am. I shouldn't have kissed you, even though I wanted to. It was just, when I touched you all my memories of us came flooding back. I think I saw some of yours too.", Tara explained. Poe cawed as he flew down onto her shoulder. Tara looked at him then at Willow, "He said its one of my abilities. That I can see the memories of something or someone that has been in contact with something or someone close to me. That I can give them memories too. Let them see them."

    Willow listened to Tara but couldn't take her mind off of Kennedy, who had run out the door. Tara saw this and reached out to her and touched her hand.

    "Go. I think you need to go and find her. Then the three of us all need to have a long talk.", Tara said empathetically. 

    Willow looked at Tara, again amazed at the kindness and understanding of this girl. 

    "Alright. I'll go find her. Then we'll all talk.", Willow smiled at Tara. Then she went off out the door in search of Kennedy. 

    Tara frowned and softly said, "I love you.", as Willow left. 

    It was mid afternoon, which meant night would fall on the town in about three hours. Hellmouths had supernatural properties like that. Kennedy sighed and sat alone at the construction site. She was confused. On the one hand, she liked Willow a lot. She understood how much Willow had loved Tara; in fact she was threatened by it. She was Rebound Girl. Tara was Willow's one true love.  She couldn't compete with that. She'd be damned if she gave Willow up without a fight though. 

    "Hey, thought I'd find you here.", Willow said sitting down beside her. This was the same site where Buffy had killed the Turok-Han Vampire in front of all the Potentials. In private, Kennedy had always expressed she felt safe here because of that fact. Even things that were overwhelming to you could be beaten here, Turok-Han or feelings. 

    Kennedy didn't respond. Willow sighed and looked out how pretty the day was before looking back to Kennedy, "I'm sorry for what happened."

    Kennedy looked over, "No I'm sorry. I overreacted. I just, it was weird seeing you kiss another girl."

    "Should've seen me when I used to make out with Xander. You'd be really freaked out then.", Willow said trying to raise a smile. It worked slightly. 

    "Ew. Xander?", Kennedy said smirking a little.

    "Oh that boy can use his tongue.", Willow replied jokingly. Then she got serious again, "Look Kennedy. I think all three of us need to talk and figure out how we feel. I didn't expect Tara to ever come back, but she has. And I've always been honest with you, so I will now. I do have feelings for her. But I do for you too. We all just have to talk."

    "Besides, she'll probably just go back to being dead after she kills who she came back for.", Kennedy said. She then inwardly kicked herself because that sounded REALLY insensitive. Willow however seemed to be thinking. 

    "You know, I don't think she even knows who she came back for. That's weird.", Willow replied. 

    More silence followed after that. Kennedy looked at Willow and kissed her cheek, "I'm appreciative that you came after me and all, but I think I just need to be alone and sort some things out."

    "You sure? What about the Bringers?", Willow said in reference to the First's minions. 

    "I can run pretty fast Willow. Besides, I don't think I've ever seen them out in daylight. I think they like to move around in the dark.", Kennedy replied. 

    "Okay, but get home before dark.", Willow said hugging her. Kennedy hugged back and kissed her cheek. Willow then stood up, dusted off her pants, and walked off. Kennedy sat there for a moments taking in the beauty of the day. Then she heard Willow walking back. 

    "Forget something?", Kennedy said as she turned. She then screamed. There was Maker, the Cenobite standing behind her. 

    "Been sent here for materials all day. You'll do nicely.", Maker smiled underneath his bondage mask. Kennedy instantly sprang up and threw a punch. Maker caught it with ease and twisted her hand, forcing her to the ground. Kennedy screeched in pain, "Hurts doesn't it?"

    An unseen force pried Maker's hand from Kennedy's and a second later a bolt of lightning struck the Cenobite sending him careening into a nearby wall. Willow stood there with magick crackling off her, and her eyes an ebon black.   
    "I dunno. Does it?", Willow said impersonating Buffy as best she could. 

    Maker stood and growled, "Whoever did that is going to get a lifetime of…"

    He just stopped and stared at Willow. He watched her intently as Kennedy ran behind her. He was transfixed. He drifted back…..thinking….this was….familiar. Something like this had happened once…….something really similar. The thought finally hit Maker and it made him growl. 

    "You!", Maker growled loudly. 

    Willow was angry at the Cenobite, but also puzzled. 

    "Me what?", Willow growled back. 

    "YOU DID THIS TO ME!!!!", Maker roared tearing the bondage mask and barbed wire from his face. The mask hit the ground in a clump. Willow stared at the skinless ghoul in front of her. 

    "Oh my God…..Warren."


	10. Those Precious Moments

    "Yeah it's me you bitch.", Warren spat at Willow, "You're responsible for how I look."

    "You killed Tara. I'm sorry for a lot of things that happened after you did that. I was even sorry for killing you. But seeing as how you're back and obviously not human, I don't think I have to be sorry anymore.", Willow stated as she fired a bolt of lightning at him. 

    Warren managed to dodge at the last instant and tried to close the gap between them. He stopped a few feet from Willow and rose into the air and was violently thrown back. He growled and rose again.

    "I hate magic.", Warren said as he managed to get up. Boards and bricks flew through the air and connected with him. Willow was enjoying this immensely. She was giving that bastard what he deserved. She smiled evilly as she slammed him through a wall. 

    "Willow let's go.", Kennedy pleaded. 

    "You go you little coward! Go run to Buffy!", Willow snarled to Kennedy.

    Kennedy looked to the petite redhead in fear. Willow saw the fear in her eyes and felt immediate remorse. Her eyes returned to their natural color. 

    "Oh God I'm sorry.", Willow said in apology. 

    Warren rose and exited the hole he had made. He saw Willow hugging Kennedy. 

    "What is this? Ellen?", Warren laughed. Willow looked to him in absolute anger and her eyes returned to their ebon shade. 

    "Go Kennedy. Go to Buffy. Tell her I'll have some demon parts she can sweep up when I'm done.", Willow said smiling unpleasantly as she walked towards Warren. Warren smiled in response. 

    "Yeah baby. Come to Daddy. You could use some straightening out. Let Daddy make it better.", Warren smiled at Willow. 

    Willow simply laughed, "Least I could keep a girlfriend."

    Warren scowled, "Funny."

    Warren's back opened up and several arms came out of his back. Some had drills. Some had blow torches. Some had blades. Some had hooks. Some had guns. Some had three clawed hands that open and closed. All looked deadly. 

    "Not so funny.", Warren replied. 

    Kennedy didn't stay to see what happened. She just ran. 

    Buffy sighed and walked downstairs to relieve some stress on the old punching bag. The last twenty-four hours had been extremely weird, not to mention stressful. Hell, it was stressful when it was just the Potential Slayers there. But now, Ethan had pissed off the wrong demons, Tara was back from the dead, and God knows what else. Buffy slammed her fist into the large body bag. She really needed a bigger house. 

    She lost track of time as she pounded the bag. She hit it again and again, each time relieving a little more stress. Eventually she started throwing kicks at the bag and made it fly off its chain. 

    "Nice work pet. You slayed the evil punching bag.", Spike mused as he came down and sat on his cot. 

    "Well it shouldn't have mouthed off like that.", Buffy said as she put her hands on her knees and exhaled. 

    "Should walk around while you cool down. Being still isn't good for you.", Spike said leaning back against the wall. 

    "Yes Giles. Of course Giles.", Buffy smirked. 

    "You wound me pet.", Spike replied with a smirk of his own. 

    "Thought we were both past the wounding stage.", Buffy said as she sat beside him on the cot. She still kept a respectable distance. 

    "Crazy day eh?"

    "You could say that. Yeah.", Buffy replied to the vampire. 

    "I've had weirder.", Spike confessed. 

    "Not possible.", Buffy replied. 

    "That whole musical experience last year."

    "Okay so one day weirder. This is still pretty weird. Tara's back, not that I'm not glad but…", Buffy began. 

    "But……..what?", Spike asked. 

    Buffy sighed, "It's just that it seems like the walls are starting to close in. Everyday it gets closer."

    "The fight with the First?", Spike asked.

    "The fight with the First.", Buffy sighed again, "I'm not sure we can win this. It's not just a fight this time. It's a war. There's going to be casualties too. I can feel it. God, I wish we could just call the Justice League or the Avengers or someone else to handle this."

    "Then why don't we?", Spike asked.

    "Because. Because it FEELS like this has to be OUR fight. Throw in whoever else you want, it still comes back to us. I'm not sure if I'm ready though.", Buffy confessed. 

    "You're never ready. Not when the big things happen. No one is. No matter how hard you prepare, you'll never be ready. That means the First isn't either.", Spike said in reply. 

    "Yeah, the big ancient evil isn't ready to destroy everything. Really convincing Spike.", Buffy rolled her eyes. 

    "I was never really ready to take you on, same as you were never really ready to take me on. You can prepare all you want, but you still got stage fright when it comes time to dance.", Spike explained, "Look at it though. How many big bads were you really ready to face? You beat the Master, me, Angelus, the Mayor, Adam, and Glory. You beat that Turok-Han and you told me you didn't think you could. You were never really ready, but you still won. And whatever this big evil is, it's afraid of the people in this house. Of all the people in the world, it's been revealing itself to us. That means something."

    "I'm still not ready to fight it. I'm not ready to lose people I care about.", Buffy said looking at him. 

    "No one ever is.", was Spike's simple reply. 

    Buffy looked at him and shocked him with her simpler reply. She put his hand over his. 

    "I'm not ready to lose anyone Spike. I'm not ready to lose you.", Buffy said to him very simply. 

    "What are you saying, Slayer?", Spike said playing it cool, though inside he was all butterflies. 

    "I'm saying that when this is all said and done… if we win….. maybe we can…..", she trailed off. 

    "Deal.", Spike said to her. And he tightened his hand over hers. 

    Upstairs, the doorbell rang. 

    "Andrew, can you get that?", Dawn called, "Willow probably forgot her keys again!"

    "Sure, sure. Send the ex-super villain to do ALLLLL the work.", Andrew said sighing as he got up from his comic book and opened the front door. 

    Pinhead stood at the other side, dispassionate, calm, and cold as ice. 

    Andrew slammed the door shut hard.

    "BUFFY! ITS FOR YOU!" 


	11. Chains and Pain

    Willow battled hard against Warren. The mechanical arms and tendrils protruding from his back were beaten back with magickal force. Once in a while however, one of the offending devices at the end of the arm would catch her side or her arm and the result was mind numbing pain. Summoning all of her rage, the young witch telekinetically hammered Warren with a steel girder nearby on the ground. 

    Warren, a recent addition to the Cenobite hordes in Leviathan's section of Hell, spit blood and smiled. His hand struck out and cracked Willow across the jaw sending her sprawling back. Then his drilling tendrils sought her body so that they might crawl under her skin and feel the gore beneath. 

    Smiling evilly, Willow summoned a barrier spell and set the barrier up four feet from her as the tendrils were mere inches from her face. Warren screeched in pain, and then smiled as the rising barrier sheared his tendrils in half. Willow arose and stared Warren in the eye. Warren stared back. Both of them smiled. This was fun. 

    Pinhead simply opened the door to the Summers house and walked in. He turned his head and saw Ethan still tied to the chair in the living room, in addition to the Box sitting on the table. The Cenobite entered the living room and was immediately struck by seven crossbow bolts. Buffy, Spike, Dawn, Xander, Giles, and two of the Potential Slayers: Molly and Rona each held a crossbow in hand. Pinhead simply winced at the crossbows all went ablaze causing the Scoobies to drop the weapons. Pinhead then looked to the side and moved his eyes back towards the Scoobies in the kitchen doorway. Chains with hooks shot out at lightning speed towards them. They were blocked by a barrier. Pinhead turned around and saw Tara standing there behind him. 

    "Leave this place now.", the resurrected witch commanded as her hands shimmered in light. 

    Pinhead felt a force grip him and try to propel him towards the window. He stood fast and glared at Tara. 

    "No.", he growled. 

    Chains shot at Tara and gripped her flesh with their barbs. Tara cried in pain as the chains wrapped around her and began tearing into her. With a violent jerk Tara's bare arms were skinless, as was much of her stomach and face. She fell to her knees. Pinhead cocked his head in pride then narrowed his eyes at the witch. Her skin was regenerating with alarming speed.

    "Ah. I see now. You're one of the dead aren't you?", Pinhead mused, "Let us see how potent you are without your head."

    A chain shot at her with a V shaped blade at the end of it. It was mere seconds from impacting her neck when she chanted in Latin and the blade stopped in mid air. It then turned and flew at Pinhead's face. It melted before it got close. Pinhead advanced toward Tara. He was tackled from behind by both Buffy and Spike however. The Slayer/vampire combination floored Pinhead. Tara rose, completely renewed and the powerful threesome sent their fists into Pinhead, hitting him as hard as they could. Their blows hammered him for nearly a minute straight. Between the strength of the three, any foe would have been reduced to paste. However, Pinhead was not just ANY foe. He rose and threw the group off of him. Spike slammed into the wall and before he could recover, chains cut through his wrists, effectively crucifying the vampire. He roared in pain as blood gushed from his wounds. He roared in anger when he saw Buffy. 

    "LEAVE HER ALONE!", Spike bellowed. 

    Pinhead held Buffy by the throat, some three feet off the ground with one hand. The Slayer was coughing for breath. She was dying. Tara cried in uncustomary rage and sent bolts of energy at the Cenobite, hitting him in the back. However, if they had any effect at all, Pinhead didn't show it. Tara rushed Pinhead from behind and was casually backhanded and sent through the front wall and across the street by the force of the blow. 

    "Such a small thing to fear. Pathetic.", Pinhead said to Buffy as he threw her into the kitchen. He then turned to Ethan and the Box. 

    "Your champions have failed. Prepare for an eternity of loving suffering.", Pinhead said as a chain shot at the warlock. 

    Tara was hurt. She tried to rise up, but fell. Had she not had these new powers of hers, she would have died again. Still she hurt, but the pain was fading. She stood and came face to face with Kennedy. 

    "Oh my God. Tara! Are you alright?", Kennedy asked her. 

    "N-Not exactly.", Tara said still shaky.

    "Where's Buffy?", Kennedy asked. 

    "The house. A demon, a very powerful demon, just came in there and has been tossing us around for the past few minutes. I have to go back and help.", Tara explained. 

    "Buffy's fighting already?!", Kennedy said in disbelief, "but Willow needs her help!"

    Tara turned, "Willow?"

    "She's fighting some demon near the high school. It's one of those bondage nightmares like Buffy fought!". Kennedy explained. 

    "That's what Buffy's fighting now.", Tara replied. 

    Kennedy was scared. Tara could see that. Scared for Willow. Tara herself felt scared for Willow if she was fighting one of those things. She looked to the house. The others were in danger. Willow was in danger. Tara was frightened. She had to make a choice. Tara looked at her rival for Willow's affections. 

    "Get into the backyard now. That's where Giles has gone. He has a plan.", Tara commanded. 

    "What about Willow? What about Buffy?", Kennedy questioned, unsure of what to do with herself. 

    "Buffy can take care of herself. I believe that with all my heart. She'll win. As for Willow, I'm going to help her.", Tara said running down the street as fast as her newly preternatural legs could carry her.

    "Do you know the way?", Kennedy called out to her. 

    "Yeah. Besides, I have a guide.", Tara replied. 

    Poe squawked overhead. 

    Inside, Pinhead looked at the chains embedded in the chair where Ethan Rayne sat. Pinhead was angry because he now knew this was not Ethan Rayne. Nor was that the true Box on the table. 

    "Glamours.", the Cenobite coldly spat and with a wince, both illusions faded away. 

    Pinhead turned. Spike was missing from the wall. He looked into the kitchen and noted Buffy was missing from the floor. Pinhead casually walked outside onto the back porch. 

    "Come on Kennedy!", the Slayer cried as she pulled a black haired girl into the large grouping in the back yard. All the Potentials were there wielding weapons. Xander stood near the girls brandishing an axe as Andrew cowered behind him. Dawn was next to him and a sheet covered a smoking sheet that could only be Spike. Anya, Ethan, and Giles stood side by side. Pinhead then saw Buffy herself, standing in the center of the grouping holding the Box. 

    Pinhead was in no mood to ask for the box and strode forward, intent on taking it. He hit a barrier and was stopped. He reached out and touched the invisible barrier and felt around. He then looked to the ground where salt was spread in a circle around the group. On closer inspection, Giles, Anya, and Ethan were all chanting. 

    "It's called a Circle of Protection. It keeps you from getting this.", Buffy said brandishing the Box.

     "And how long can your mages keep it up? Hmmm? How long could you all stay there if they could keep it up indefinitely? I will have it. In time.", Pinhead said chillingly. 

    "Not a chance. And by the way, how is that acupuncture working out for you? Looks painful, but I've heard it's not really.", Buffy quipped. 

    "Child I will…"

    "LEAVE THIS PLACE!" a voice commanded as a bright light filled the backyard. Out of the light stepped an attractive, middle aged woman, with light blonde hair and wearing a white gown. 

    Pinhead shied away from her as she walked towards him. His demonic flesh sizzled the closer she got. He backed away putting his hand over his face. 

    "You have no business….", Pinhead started. 

    "Oh I have plenty of business here.", the woman commanded. 

    Buffy and Dawn's eyes went wide when they saw the woman more clearly. 

    "M-mom?", Buffy asked. 

    "Hi girls. Just a minute.", Buffy and Dawn's mother, Joyce said as she sent light from her hand and struck Pinhead setting the demon ablaze and making him cry in pain. 

    "S-Stop!", Pinhead growled as he fell to his knees screaming. 

    "Are you begging for mercy, demon? After all the people you've hurt in the past on this plane? People not destined for Hell?", Joyce angrily said pouring more light onto the Cenobite, who fell to his hands and knees. 

    "Yes! Mercy! Please! Mercy!", Pinhead shrieked. 

    "No.", Joyce said as the light reduced Pinhead to ash. 

    Joyce turned and smiled to the group. 

    "Sorry about the entrance. A little flashy I know, but I got here as fast as I could.", Joyce said. 

    Everyone who knew Buffy and Dawn's mother in life was in shock. Buffy laughed, as did Dawn. 

    "I'm not crazy.", Buffy said. She had had visions of her mother for months. Dawn likewise had an experience with their departed mother that she had thought was just the First's machinations. 

    "No sweetie. You're not.", Joyce explained. 

    "I was sent here as sort of a Guardian Angel to watch over you all and try to give you advice with the war that's coming. This", she said in reference to the pile of dust that had once been Pinhead, "was unexpected. That Box is dangerous. It's been decreed too dangerous for mortals who would use such a thing selfishly."

    Ethan squirmed a bit at that. 

    "The Powers That Be have decreed that it be handed over and liquidated.", Joyce explained, "It's just too dangerous to be allowed to be used on this plane. You saw the things that pour out of it. There are even worse things waiting on the other side. Let me get rid of that thing before anymore pain is caused by it."

    Buffy sighed in relief and stretched out her hand to her mother. However, Spike had a chill. Something about all this felt wrong. His demon sensed it. Not only that, but even under the smoking sheet he could smell the air. He knew that a Heavenly being probably wouldn't have a scent, but this one did. And it didn't smell anything like Joyce. This smell was far more foul. This was wrong. He shouted to Buffy. 

    "Buffy don't do it!"

    Buffy turned as Joyce took the Box from her hand.

    "Huh?", Buffy asked. The others screamed. Buffy turned back and saw the Box in the hand of Angelique who tittered and smiled at Buffy. 

    "I know all your secrets after that taste, darling. Every deep down one.", Angelique smiled.

    Spike growled under his sheet. The sun was starting to set. Damnation! If it had only been five minutes later! 

    Buffy screeched in anger and leapt at Angelique only to be struck by Pinhead. 

    "Knowledge of glamours aren't just known to your kind.", Pinhead said as Buffy tumbled through the fence. 

    "We'll be back for you all later. Right now, this needs to be elsewhere.", Angelique said, blowing a kiss at the others.

    At that, she and Pinhead began to walk around the house towards the front. Buffy rose and slowly followed them. She limped and fell to her knees, but again she rose. 

    "No. By God, after that you will not just walk away with that!", Buffy roared internally. 

    The two Cenobites didn't bother to look back. Buffy slowly pursued them to the front yard as the sun began to finally sink and night fell. Buffy reached down for a rock and threw it hard at Angelique, making her turn. 

    "Oh look. Kitten is still trying to win.", Angelique said licking her lips, "Even after that savage blow you struck her."

    Pinhead however was distant. He had felt something….powerful a mere instant ago. Two somethings in fact. There were two powerful energy spikes in the town. One was near the school. The other was fast approaching Revello drive. 

    At the school, Warren roared in rage and delivered a double handed blow that sent Willow through a brick wall. Surely, her human bones shattered as she tore through it. Surely, she lay there hemorrhaging. Surely, her brain was damaged by the impact. Warren smiled at the pain he had inflicted on the witch who had ended his life. He turned to return to the machine he was building for Pinhead when the wall behind him erupted in flame and exploded outward. The debris sent Warren to the ground and his view was obscured by dust and fire, but gradually he saw a shape approach. He stood and knew, that business had just picked up. He stood face to face with a nightmare. 

    "Boooooooored now.", Willow said, her eyes ebon and her flowing red hair replaced by long locks of black. Veins weaved all about her body as a small pentagram took shape on her forehead, "Play now?"

    Back at Revello Drive, Pinhead walked into the street. It was coming closer, whatever it was. Angelique walked to his side as he peered down the road at nothing. 

    "What is it?", Angelique asked. 

    "Go. Deliver the Box. I have business to attend to here.", Pinhead commanded. 

    "But….", Angelique began as she was cut off by the most God Forsaken Sound she had ever heard, even in her time in Hell. It was the roar of an engine. She backed away as she saw what was coming. She ran as it came closer. 

    Buffy likewise had heard the roar and had covered her ears when it had happened. Now she saw that down the street, an orange light was coming towards Pinhead at high speeds. It stopped ten feet from the Cenobite, and Buffy could swear it sounded like a tire screech. Though all she saw was fire. Lots of fire that illuminated a large black motorcycle and its rider. 

    "Hear me demon,", the rider said in a rasp that put Pinhead's to shame, "I am summoned whenever innocent blood is shed. And YOU have shed MUCH innocent blood."

    Buffy winced as she looked at the fire, her vision still cloudy from the blow Pinhead had struck her earlier. Her eyes went wide when she saw that some of the fire occupied the rider's head. 

    "What….are you?", Pinhead asked the newcomer.

    "I am called Ghost Rider.", the flaming skull atop the newcomer's shoulders answered, "Prepare for penance."


	12. Vengeance Reaped

    "Okay Puppy. It's time to learn the facts of life.", Willow smirked evilly as she  repeatedly kicked Warren in his side as hard as she could. And with the strength augmentation spell she had placed upon herself since near the beginning of the fight, many of Warren's ribs broke with each impact.

    "First of all, you should know that my name is Willow, THY GOD. And I'm a very, VERY cranky God.", Willow explained as Warren began to growl at her. Willow simply ground her boot on his fingers, "Ah ah ah Puppy. Willow didn't say to bark yet. But your enthusiasm is noted. Now where was God? Oh yes, God has had a very rough life. Parents always away, always picked on by people who don't matter, never noticed by people who do, heart broken by people leaving. It made God a sad little girl who would always curl up in front of a computer and write or run programs or other booooring computer things. The saddest part is that was all she was good at it. Or so it seemed."

    "That's when she started playing with magick. And let me tell you, that made her feel like the God she truly was. She became powerful. Strong. She did what she always thought was right but even with all the power, it was hard and brought her little happiness. But it also brought her Tara. Tara was the one thing that made her life truly worthwhile. It was true love. Not a dream, not an illusion, not some post-pubescent fantasy. But true love."

    "And She so loved Tara she gave up ALL her begotten magicks to make her happy. And it was all bliss and happiness and daisies UNTIL YOU SHOT HER AND TOOK HER FROM ME, YOU SLIMEY LITTLE BASTARD! You made me lose control of myself and hurt my friends. And you made me LIKE doing it. I was an addict and you made me relapse. Ever since that day I have had a voice in my head degrading me, cutting me down, and begging me to do horrible things to my friends to fulfill that twisted need inside me. And you want to know what pisses me off the most about that? It's me thinking that. It's me wanting me to hurt my friends and its all YOUR DAMNED FAULT!", Willow roared in rage as she electrocuted Warren with black lightning. Tears rolled down her face as she explained the source of her pain. She was so consumed; she didn't hear Poe cawing overhead, or Tara's approach. 

    "W-Willow?", Tara said walking up, unsure this was Willow due to her hair color.

    Willow turned and ground her heel into Warren's knuckles. 

    "Go away. I don't want you to see this.", Willow practically growled. 

    "Goddess.", Tara said taking in Willow's altered appearance. Indeed, she was hardly the loving witch Tara had known. She looked more like an ebon banshee now.

    Poe began cawing to Tara overhead and it made Tara's eyes go wide as she looked at the fallen Warren.

    "P-Poe says…. That he was just told that that's the man who killed me.", Tara said, unsure of what to do next. 

    "He is. He came back as one of these things. You were sent back to stop him. But I won't let you.", Willow said standing off with Tara. 

    "I-I don't like this whole vengeance thing Willow. It isn't in my nature. But if this was what I was sent back to do, let me do it.", Tara said, apprehensive about killing someone, even a demon. 

    "No. Because if you do it, then you'll have to go back to being dead. And I won't lose you again! I can't stand to have you back just so you'll leave again! I need you.", Willow replied, her lip quivering despite her current confident state, "That's the deal with these things."

    "Mr. Giles told me not necessarily. Sometimes they stay. We researched it.", Tara told Willow.

    "I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THAT RISK!", Willow began crying, "I love you too much to let you die again. If I kill him, then you can stay."

    "Willow, I love you more than anything or anyone on earth, but if this is my job then I have to do it.", Tara stated plainly. And Willow cried, because she knew in her heart that Tara was right, and was adamant about doing this even if she didn't truly want to. And Willow could deny Tara nothing. 

    "Come to me baby.", Tara said outstretching her hands. And sniffling and crying, Willow walked towards Tara, her black hair resuming its red shade. The veins and pentagram faded. The black in her eyes, rolled away so that the tears were more evident. She wrapped herself into Tara's arms and laid her head on her shoulder sobbing. Tara kissed her and comforted her as best she could. For this moment, they were the entire world. 

    That's why it was so shocking when Willow had a spasm of pain and tried to gasp for air that never came. She slumped forward and Tara could see one of Warren's tendrils imbedded in her back. Warren smiled sadistically. 

    "Sorry. But I loooove splitting you crazy kids up.", Warren cackled. 

    Tara's eyes welled up with tears. She was in pain, saddened by what had befallen her lover. Then she felt something she was unaccustomed to. Rage. 

    "That was a mistake.", Tara snarled. 

    Pinhead slammed into the pavement of Revello Drive causing some asphalt to shatter as he did. Undeterred, he rose a moment later and stared face to face with the Spirit of Vengeance known as the Ghost Rider. The tall being crowned by a skull aflame sent shivers of fear to all of the bystanders who looked upon him, save Pinhead. 

    "What is that thing?", Buffy asked Giles, and many of the others who had run around the side of the house to join her. 

    "Bloody hell. Not that bloke again.", Spike mouthed fearfully. 

    "Again?", Xander asked. 

    "New York. 1989. Bloke had me crying for a week after that stare of his.", Spike said of the inhuman Ghost Rider. 

    "You've run into this creature before?", Giles asked.

    "Wasn't a bloody picnic either. Wanker scares me more than just about anybody. Well maybe not Angelus.", Spike explained. 

    "Wow. Now see, this is why I got into vengeance. Guys like this really make it worthwhile. Lots of gusto into their work.", Anya said beaming. 

    Preternatural fists slammed into Pinhead, making him stagger. The Cenobite, undeterred, struck back nearly knocking Ghost Rider off his feet. Nail covered flesh met hellfire covered skull as the two creatures head butted. Grim, cold determination was in Pinhead's eyes as he covered the Ghost Rider in chains, trying to tear at whatever flesh may be on his body. Finding none it dug into the flaming bones and black leather clothing of the hell biker. Fiery, passionate, vengeance burned in the eyes of Ghost Rider as he swung his own chain cracking Pinhead's jaw. 

    "Do you dare face the agony of those you have slain?", Ghost Rider asked in his cold, gravelly rasp.

    "Agony is pleasure.", Pinhead said, tired of the physical confrontation, and choosing to send twin beams of energy out of his eyes at Ghost Rider. The Spirit of Vengeance was sent flying backwards into his parked motorcycle in a crumpled heap. Much of his leather clothing was shredded by that attack, exposing his flaming skeleton. Pinhead fired again as Ghost Rider attempted to rise. Ghost Rider was sent sprawling forward and crashed into the ground. Pinhead closed the gap between the two and fired again and again and again until Ghost Rider moved no more. Pinhead smiled as he turned the skeleton over, ready to deliver the deathblow., "Agony and pleasure are one in the same. They are both part of the game."

    "This is no game.", Ghost Rider said as beams suddenly fired from his eyes right into Pinhead's. Pinhead screamed in agony as they did so. This was the most potent of Ghost Rider's abilities. This was the dreaded Penance stare, a weapon which turns the pain inflicted upon the innocent upon the very one who inflicted it. Pinhead in such a case, has inflicted much suffering and was now feeling it. Pain is usually a source of pleasure for the Cenobite, but pain as it is felt by the victim…. Well let's just say Pinhead would have rather been skinned, salt poured in every wound, and then dropped into a septic tank. The Cenobite fell to the ground and began crawling away. Ghost Rider arose and stalked after him. Pinhead turned and looked at Ghost Rider, and weakly began chuckling. 

    "It's…a-all a game. Every bit. One that I'm going to win. That hurt me in ways I cannot describe. Thank you. I will reciprocate when this world is sent to Hell in the next few minutes.", Pinhead smiled as he teleported away from the scene. 

    Ghost Rider simply walked back and picked up his motorcycle and prepared to get on. 

    "Wait!", Buffy said running up. Ghost Rider regarded her. 

    "I am needed elsewhere. I cannot wait.", Ghost Rider said revving his bike, preparing to give chase to Pinhead. 

    "Let me help you! I'm the Slayer, and this is my town. It's my responsibility. Please. I can help you.", Buffy pleaded. 

    Ghost Rider regarded her with his hollowed out, fiery eyes. Then he spoke. 

    "Get on.", Ghost Rider commanded. And Buffy leapt on the back of his motorcycle, a little wary of the hellfire bones that were exposed. 

    "Now wait just a bloody minute. You can't just expect us to sit out can you?", Spike demanded. Ghost Rider turned and looked at him, stopping the vampire in his tracks. 

    "I know you.", Ghost Rider said, making Spike swallow hard, "And I have no quarrel with you now."

    "It's the soul.", Spike thought, "Bloke would a gave me that stare at half a chance otherwise."

     "If you're going to come Spike,", Buffy said, "Come on."

    And then the motorcycle streaked off into the night. 

    Spike turned to Xander, "I'm taking your car."

    "The hell you are! I'm driving. Besides, I have a machine gun in the trunk.", Xander replied. 

    "A what?!", Spike said. 

    "So I've had it since we stole that bazooka to kill the Judge. Shut up. I like it.", Xander explained. 

    "Right. Watcher, I think you ought to stay here. Keep any blokes that can do magick with you.", Spike ordered, "Maybe you can teleport that box back. If nothing else you can all open a portal to somewhere else if this doesn't go down right."

    "I concur." Was Giles' simple reply. 

    "I'm coming too.", Andrew said proudly. Spike and Xander looked at him like he was nuts. 

    "I can summon something to help us!", Andrew explained. 

    He was still looked at as if he was nuts. Then Spike shrugged. 

    "May as well. Might be good for a laugh."

    "What about me?", Kennedy asked. 

    "Bloody well stay here. Already got one load with us.", Spike growled. 

    "Hey!", Andrew shouted. 

    Kennedy looked ready to protest when a glare from Spike instantly quieted her. He was not a man to be trifled with. And with that, Spike, Xander, and Andrew hopped in Xander's car. 

    "Just a question. Where are we going?", Andrew asked. 

    Xander pointed to the street, "Wherever that fire leads us."

    The car sped off, following the trail of Hellfire left in Ghost Rider's wake. 

    Tara was slammed into the ground covered by Warren's tendrils. 

    "Hold still baby. Let's make a little hentai. I'll straighten you out.". Warren laughed. She had been so easy to defeat. She had barely struggled, even after all that anger she had displayed. Warren looked to the side. Willow was still alive. He was guessing that strength augmentation hadn't worn off yet. No matter. She'd die soon enough. Just as soon as he was done squeezing the life out of Tara. 

    "You make me sick.", Tara said to him.

    "That so?", Warren asked, "You know when you talk the talk, you should really at least try to walk the walk. You were so easy to take down."

    "Maybe I wanted to be taken down.", Tara said, smiling. That worried Warren, but nonetheless he was simply squeezed tighter. 

    "Oh yeah. I bet you did. Admit it, you just need a big strong man to handle you like you want." 

    "Actually, I did this because that crow flying around up there, just out of reach, told me to. He told me that one of my abilities is to project the emotions of something I come into contact with. Usually, said emotion is painful.", Tara explained.

    Warren smirked at her, "HELLO? I'm a Cenobite. Look at me. Does it look like pain bothers me anymore? I get off on it."

    "Yeah I know. That's why I'm not going to give you pain Warren. I'm going to give you love.", Tara said smiling. 

    An instant later, Warren fell to his knees. And screamed. 


	13. School's Been Blown to Pieces

    Pinhead stared at the large, twisted, rectangular machine in front of him; Solid black with spinning dynamos on either side pumping a constant flow of electricity to it. The hellish device had a small opening in the middle of its imposing twelve feet. Pinhead reached into this opening and placed the Box in it. Instantly the Box came to life, twisting, turning, and contorting into a diamond-like shape. The huge machine followed suit, with the dynamos pumping increased amounts of electricity. The device began to float into the air, the energy still flowing into it. It began to spin and give off energy of its own, firing an eerie blue light into the sky. Clouds gathered and thunder rumbled. In another dimension, Leviathan was pleased. Soon Hell would come to earth. 

    Pinhead turned away from the device and looked out over the horizon. He heard the sound of the Ghost Rider's engine. Fools were coming, seeking pain. Pinhead would oblige them. He would give them all the pain in the world, for all the little time their world had left. 

    "Angelique. Chatterer. Where is Maker?", Pinhead asked as his acolytes stepped forth. 

    "I do not know.", Angelique replied, "I do not feel his presence anywhere."

    "No matter. His task was completed. Now complete yours. Prevent these beings from ever reaching the device.", Pinhead ordered, "And feel free to play with them."

    Angelique smiled. 

    Ghost Rider raged forth with the school in line of sight. He sped up further when he saw the light from the device ahead.

    "The screams of innocent blood lead here.", the skeleton said to Buffy.

    "Yeah, that and the big honkin light in the sky.", Buffy replied.

    "That too.", Ghost Rider said as he drove into the parking lot. Buffy narrowed her eyes and saw Angelique and the Chatterer standing on the roof of the building's ledge.

    "They're going to jump off. I can tell by their body posture. I really want to kick that demon hoe's ass.", Buffy growled. 

    "Attend to her if you like. I will attend to the leader. We have unfinished business.", Ghost Rider growled in return. 

    If it was at all possible Ghost Rider picked up speed. What happened next was a blur. Angelique and the Chatterer both stepped off the roof at the same time and began their descent. Buffy stood up on the back of Ghost Rider's motorcycle and leapt onto the Spirit of Vengeance's shoulders. Despite her boots burning slightly, she heaved herself into a somersault and launched herself into a perfect jumping kick towards Angelique. Seconds later both Slayer and demon erupted through one of the school's windows…. On the second floor. 

    Ghost Rider was no less amazing as he drove UP THE SIDE OF THE WALL and cracked open the Chatterer's skull with his chain before flying up through the air on his motorcycle towards the Hell Device, poised to destroy the machine. But chained hooks came from nowhere and gripped his motorcycle, pulling it down. His own chain barely missed the infernal machine. He crashed hard on the roof of the school. Despite his rough landing, Ghost Rider rose and stared directly at Pinhead. This was war. 

    The Chatterer stood at the base of the school and shook off the effects of Ghost Rider's blow, teeth chattering away as he did. He was then violently rocked by hundreds of rounds from a machine gun. Xander smiled as he fired, thinking back to that Rambo parody in UHF. The Chatterer oozed bile and blood, but did not fall. Even after Xander emptied a whole clip into him. It merely "looked" in Xander's direction and chattered mindlessly. 

    "Hey Nancy. How 'bout a go?"

    The Chatterer turned and was rocked hard by Spike's fist. It actually staggered backwards as Spike threw a kick to its deformed face. Still it chattered as it drew it's blade and slashed at Spike, who was smiling with his vampire features, as he deftly avoided the blade's tip.

    "That all you got?", Spike laughed as he dodged another swipe, "Not even worth my time. But Harris on the other hand…."

    Xander opened fire on the Cenobite again. Again the machine gun met with the same results. The Chatterer bled and shook, but it was not seriously injured. 

    "It's not working Spike! It just doesn't hurt it enough!", Xander yelled over the gunfire, "All I'm doing is making it bleed!"

    "Buffy said these blokes were hard to hurt…..but I think I just got an idea, mate. Follow me!", Spike said running off. Xander was reluctant to follow at first, but after the Chatterer approached him slowly, he changed his mind and followed Spike. The Chatterer likewise followed Xander following Spike. And then Andrew cautiously stepped out of the shadows as they departed. 

    "You go ahead guys…I'll uh…secure the perimeter. Uh…Go Planet.", Andrew said shakily. 

    Spike and Xander slid down the hallways of the school as the Chatterer picked up speed and followed them. They passed Buffy and Angelique fighting tooth and nail atop the stairs but didn't stop. Even after Buffy threw Angelique down the stairs and did a huge flying elbow drop on her calling her a "skank" as they ran. The twosome sped around a corner and ducked into a door, running downstairs. The Chatterer followed, his jaws chattering faster as he picked up speed. He chased them downstairs and into a huge basement area. 

    The vampire and human duo zigged and zagged, leading the disfigured (relatively speaking) Cenobite on a wild goose chase. Between the two of them, the Chatterer wasn't even close to catching them. That was until they ran into a room that had no other means of exit. They turned to the Cenobite with Xander opening fire on it yet again, sending blood splurting everywhere in the room. And again the Chatterer was not moved. It simply chattered and stepped forward. However, it failed to notice that its blood was rolling down onto a seal with a ram's head symbol on it. The seal shown brightly as it absorbed the blood and began to open. From behind the Chatterer arose a fearsome Turok-Han warrior vampire, fangs bared, claws ready, with only the thought of the kill on its mind. It struck at the first thing that moved, which was the Chatterer. The Chatterer turned and stabbed the Turok-Han with its blade, to which the Turok-Han replied by biting deep into the Chatterer's neck. Spike smirked as he delivered a dropkick to the entwined creatures, sending them back into the hole beneath the Seal of Dhuzal before it closed again. 

    The Chatterer struck at the Turok-Han in the gigantic cave system it was now in. It was then struck from behind by another Turok-Han, and another, and another. Within seconds of its arrival, the Cenobite was beset on all sides by a swarm of the vampires. He was covered by them like army ants. He could scream in pain or roar in rage. The only sound he made was that of his jaw chattering. And soon, even that stopped. 

    "W-Willow, are you okay?", Tara asked her lover as she stared down at her. Willow coughed and looked up. 

    "Could be better. Strength augmentation must have saved my life.", Willow stated. 

    "That and my healing spell.", Tara smiled as she kissed Willow's forehead. 

    Willow sat up and looked around, "Where's Warren?"

    "H-He just kind of cried and walked away after I unloaded on him. I didn't kill him. I couldn't. Not even after everything he's done.", Tara admitted. 

    "You're stronger than me then.", Willow said. 

    "No. I'm not. Vengeance is Anya's gig. Not mine. Love is mine. That's why I was sent back. It's not about vengeance Willow. It never is. It's about loving someone so deeply that you can't ever be apart from them. I love you.", Tara said to her truthfully.

    Willow looked at Tara and somewhere, a melody played as she kissed her lover. 

    "I love you too baby."

    Angelique slammed Buffy into a locker. 

    "Oh sweetie, I bet that felt great.", Angelique moaned. 

    Buffy winced from the pain and wrapped her legs around Angelique to hold her in place. 

    "Good, but not great. This is great.", Buffy replied as she tore off a locker door and slammed it into Angelique's head. As she did that she unwrapped her legs, no longer supporting Angelique's weight and sending her sprawling. Angelique rolled up and smiled. 

    "That was great.", Angelique replied licking her lips. The locker door slammed into her neck, thrown like a Frisbee in the next moment. 

    "Then that must have been spectacular.", Buffy quipped as she rushed Angelique, tackling her through the school's metal doors and back outside. Angelique smiled and slammed her fist into Buffy's temple, making her recoil in pain. Then a kick from one of Angelique's thigh high boots sent Buffy reeling and onto her back. Angelique straddled her a moment later, giving Buffy no leverage.

    "Playtime's over kitty cat.", Angelique cooed. 

    "Get off of her foul demoness!", a voice shouted at Angelique. 

    Angelique turned and saw Andrew a few feet away. She punched Buffy and stood up facing the small man. 

    "Oooh witty dialogue.", Angelique mocked. 

    "Well…uh… it sounded impressive. Anyways, stay away from her!", Andrew ordered, "I'm warning you. I have powers!"

    "Of annoyance? After I make your guts into my garters I'm taking my kitty elsewhere so I can play with her. And there's nothing you can do about it weakling.", Angelique hissed. 

    Something landed behind Buffy, making her look up to whatever it was. It could only be something Andrew had summoned. Buffy rose quickly and stalked towards Angelique. 

    "You can't hurt Buffy.", Andrew said bravely as Angelique inched closer.

    "Why not? She's my kitten.", Angelique replied, ready to disembowel Andrew. Just then Buffy put her into an arm lock.

    "Sorry girlfriend, but this just isn't working out, but I have someone I can introduce you to. You'll like him. I promise.", Buffy smiled and she swung Angelique into the creature behind her. 

    Angelique felt like she hit a brick wall. She winced and immediately realized whatever this was, it was much taller than her. She looked up at the creature, which was a nearly nine foot tall, leathery skinned, mouthless variety of demon. Then from nowhere, the creature's wings wrapped around Angelique and pulled her into its embrace. It shook her violently as an acidic substance poured down to its feet, melting Angelique's body away. The process was complete after a minute. All that was left of the Princess of Hell were a few scraps of clothing and some bones. The demon then looked at Buffy and Andrew and simply flew away. 

    "Wow Andrew. You did something right.", Buffy said amazed. 

    "It was nothing. Just lucky those things migrate to this dimension this time of year.", Andrew said smiling. 

    "What's all this then?", Spike said as he and Xander exited the building. 

    "Andrew took out the bitch demon.", Buffy smiled. 

    "Cool. We fragged the other one.", Xander bragged. 

    "So we find Bones and take on Home Improvement on the roof then?", Spike asked. 

    Seconds later, Ghost Rider crashed to the ground mere feet from the Scoobies. He started to get up but was then struck by a bluish energy that made him convulse violently

    "No. You do not.", Pinhead said above them as he raised his hand blasting them all with the same bluish energy, bringing them to their knees. Even Ghost Rider felt its effects, "Now then, I've had enough of your meddling. Stay right there. It will all be over soon. Hell will come to earth and you feel the bliss of pain for all eternity."

    "No. You can't do that. I WON'T let you."

    Pinhead turned, actually surprised at who had said those words.

    "Maker?"

    "The name is Warren.", Warren said as he sent his tendrils at Pinhead.


	14. Raisin' Hell

    Tendrils wrapped around Pinhead and would have squeezed the life from him had he technically been alive. Drills tore into Pinhead's flesh. Knives at the end of the arms stabbed and cut him. Acetylene torches burned away at him. Maces smashed against his head. Guns opened fire. Tendrils without such weapons at their ends simply strangled him. Others battered him. He was beset on all sides by one of his own soldiers. 

    "Maker….what is the meaning of this?", Pinhead choked out. Warren looked at the Elder Cenobite angrily. 

    "I'll tell you what the meaning of this is. The meaning of this is that I wasted my life. I did things that were wrong. I created things callously without regard to the feelings of others. I lied. I stole. I killed. And I tried to pass off the blame onto others. I was evil. Maybe not as evil as I am now, but I was still evil.", Warren said squeezing tighter, "I did things that were wrong and I didn't care. And this life you gave me in Hell was my reward. It took one of my victims to show me what I was and what I've become. I could have had friends. I could have been someone. I could have had REAL love, not the superficial stuff that I thought was love. I've missed out on that, but by God, I will not let you send this world to Hell and deny other people that. This is my last and only chance to be a hero. And I'm going to take it."

    Warren's tendrils exploded into flame as he screamed. Pinhead stood by impassively as he did. 

    "Yes. Well I was merely letting you explain yourself before your sentence is carried out.", Pinhead said coldly. 

    Warren ran forward, still in pain and struck Pinhead. Pinhead didn't flinch and simply fired blue beams of light from his eyes at Warren making him back away. Warren suddenly felt weaker, and was in more pain. Pinhead fired again and again Warren stepped back in more agony. Pinhead fired one last time and Warren fell to his knees screaming. 

    "You are mortal again; your powers taken from you. And imagine you will not last long without your epidermis.", Pinhead said to the skinless man, "This pain must be most exquisite. You believed yourself redeemed when in the end you are still damned. Where is the angel who saved you now? Where?"

    "Right here."

    Pinhead turned and was hit by twin bolts of magick and the chain of the Ghost Rider. He was thrown back violently and landed hard across the roof of the building. As he looked up he saw Willow, black haired and black eyed, with Tara beside her radiating light magicks. In front of them stood the freed Ghost Rider, spinning his chain. Further back were Buffy, Spike, Xander, and Andrew. Poe cawed high overhead. Pinhead scowled at the newcomers as he stood. 

    "I smell power.", Pinhead growled. 

    "Yeah I get that a lot.", Willow replied, "I'm giving you one chance to leave before my friends and I here go medieval on your male dominatrix ass."

    "You think you can challenge me?", Pinhead asked. 

    "I freed my friends from your little spell. It was child's play, so yeah, I do think I can challenge you. More so, I think I own you. Bitch.", Willow smiled licking her lips. 

    A hooked chain flew at Willow. She caught it, then incinerated it and smiled. 

    "Oh, know what? I lied about that one chance to leave.", Willow giggled as she fired on Pinhead with magickal force. A moment later, Tara added her own magick to the mix, joining hands with Willow. Ghost Rider then released the Penance Stare again. Pinhead met their attack with his own energy blasts and even managed to hold the Penance Stare back with his own mental abilities. He strained hard against this onslaught. He had been taxed tonight, twice by the Ghost Rider and now by the Spirit of Vengeance AND two righteously powerful witches. But he was the favored son of Leviathan. He would not falter, the pain would give him power. Besides, it was too late. Already cracks in reality began. Cracks to Hell and to Leviathan's loving embrace. He merely needed a few more minutes. His resolve grew as he fought on. He actually began to turn back the attacks of his aggressors. Until Buffy and the others laid their hands on Willow and Tara, adding their own power. 

    Pinhead was flattened and screamed in fear and agony as the Penance Stare hit him full force. He seethed in the pain of all of his victims and blinked back hot tears. And that was not what scared him the most. The First was there in his mind, still wearing Angel's form. 

    "Awww. Poor kid. Looks like you bit off more than you could chew huh? Told you that Slayer was not to be trifled with.", The First smiled. 

    "I…have not yet….failed! The device is opening the gate to Hell…..This world will be nothing in a few moments!", Pinhead cried. 

    "Who's he talking to?", Xander asked. 

    "Doesn't matter. He's right. We have no way to stop that device, unless Wills can frag it up in the air.", Buffy added. 

    "No….you have…m-me.", Warren said as he lay dying. He reached to his side and pulled out a small remote control looking device, "I made that thing. I can destroy it."

    He pressed his finger to the small button on the control and the Hell Device exploded in the sky, taking the fabled Box with it. Pinhead wailed in anger.

    "Daaaarn. Guess they did beat you after all.", the First said mischievously, "But then again they had me helping them this time didn't they?"

    "What?!", Pinhead said in shock. 

    "Please, that whole plan of yours. Open the gates of Hell, get the Box, fight with the Slayer. I set that into motion idiot. You think if I REALLY wanted you to destroy this world by using that Box, that I couldn't have had it stolen through stealth? Or gotten one of its copies throughout the world? I didn't want you to destroy earth. I saved it.", the First explained solely to Pinhead. 

    "Why?!", Pinhead howled in anger. 

    "So _I _could destroy it. I really don't like you lesser types trying to take away from my destiny.", The First said kneeling to Pinhead, "Oh yeah. And I'm going to show you my true face."

    And Pinhead screamed like a child afraid of the dark when The First shed the form of Angel. His mind threatened to snap like a twig as he backed away from the sight in front of him. He had to escape, he had to go somewhere, anywhere to get away from the THING in front of him. He looked to his hands and saw escape. They were the last sight he saw before he began to incinerate himself. 

    Across the roof, the Scoobies were in shock of what they all witnessed. Pinhead screamed and destroyed himself. 

    "Damn. That stare of yours has really gotten stronger, mate.", Spike said as he slapped Ghost Rider's shoulder. The larger being looked at Spike, making him back away. Then he made his way to his motorcycle and got on. 

    "Vengeance has been done. My task is done.", Ghost Rider said to them simply as he shot off of the roof on his motorcycle and sped away into the night. 

    "Not big on the talking is he?", Xander asked. 

    Willow and Tara knelt at Warren's side as he coughed in extreme pain. 

    "Here, let us…", Tara began before Warren cut her off. 

    "No. Just let me die.", Warren pleaded, "Besides, its not like you could save me. Or that I deserve it."

    "You deserve it.", Willow said, swallowing her pride and anger, "You saved the world Warren. You did something good."

    "One good thing amongst a lot of bad….whatever…I want to die…but first I want to thank you Tara. You made me happy for once in my life with that thing you did to me. You made me realize what love felt like. I'm sorry that I hurt you. All of you.", Warren coughed harder as his sight dimmed, "Oh and Andrew?"

    "Yeah Warren?", Andrew said, still shocked that this thing was once his friend. 

    "You can have my Vampire the Masquerade cards.", Warren coughed. 

    Andrew laughed slightly, "Your mom threw them out. I asked." 

    Warren laughed and coughed again, "Yeah that sounds like something she'd…."

    And he was gone. 


	15. Serious RamiPrecussions

Two days later. 

    Principal Robin Wood observed the damage to the school that was done at the battle and sighed. He was just glad classes were still cancelled because of Gaira's rampage. Now they would be postponed an additional few days. Running a school on a Hellmouth was hard work. Of course this additional damage done to the school was obviously the work of a gang. On PCP. 

    "Man I'm getting too old for this shit.", The frustrated Principal sighed. 

    "So she's staying then?!", Willow practically squealed in glee. 

    "Well, er, yes. It certainly would appear that way. Like I told her myself, not all avatars of the crow return to the land of the dead after their work is done, because quite frankly it never is. A higher power obviously sees that Tara is needed here and has work to do. It's possibly a sign that we need her in the coming war with the First.", Giles explained to the ecstatic redheaded witch, "How are you two by the way….have you…well, reconsummated your relationship?"

    "You're a dirty old man.", Willow said with a frown. 

    "I didn't mean…"

    "Giles, chill. I knew what you meant. Just playing with you.", Willow smiled. He was too easy, "But no we haven't. Tara, Kennedy, and I all sat down and talked it over. We all decided to just take a little time off for ourselves and get some breathing room. Just see how things work out. I really care for both of them, but we just have to take things nice and slow."

    "Ah, yes. Good.", Giles said as he took off his glasses and cleaned them, "Willow, I'm glad that you're taking this time off of these relations, because I need to speak to you on a few things."

    "What kinds of things?", Willow asked. 

    "Well, a love triangle now could be most stressful and affect your performance in the battle with the First. Quite frankly, I'm a bit concerned with it now.", Giles explained. 

    "Huh?! Why?!", Willow said, with a slight twinge of anger in her soul. Then she closed her eyes and counted to ten, "Okay, I know what you mean. The magick thing." 

    "Yes, the magick thing. You're going between extremes Willow. Some days you're afraid to use magick at all for fear in giving into your dark side again. Just recently, you did give in again against Gaira and the Cenobites. This power in you in incredibly strong, and also incredibly dangerous. One misstep could prove disastrous for all of us.", Giles continued. 

    "Well…what do you suggest? Go back to England and study with the coven again?", Willow asked.

    "Well, no. With Tara back, she could help you, as could I. But there's someone I want you to go to New York, Willow. Very soon.", Giles went on. 

    "What's in New York?", Willow asked. 

    "An old colleague of mine. He could teach you how to control your power and use it more effectively. His name is Dr. Stephen Strange. Perhaps you've heard of him.", Giles  told her. 

    Chris Merritt had to admit that at the moment, his life sucked. He was out for a walk when suddenly, three guys jumped him. He was a decently big guy though, so he thought he could handle himself. That was until he saw their faces. Ridges, yellow eyes, and fangs. They could only one thing. A gang on PCP! He was scared now, because they were talking about all the ways they were going to torture him before they killed him! Chris prayed for a miracle. He got one. 

    "Now now boys, if you can't play nice, you're going to have to go inside.", a feminine voice stated behind the vampires. The vampires froze. It had to be the Slayer. 

    The three of them turned to the voice and were surprised at what they saw. It wasn't Buffy. It was a taller girl, with dirty blonde hair. She wore black boots, black leather pants, a leather top that showed her midriff, and a long black leather duster. Her face was painted white with black around the eyes and on the lips. Black tears of mascara ran from her eyes. A large crow sat on her shoulder. 

    "What the hell?", one vampire said. 

    "What kind of Slayers does this town have?", another asked. 

    Tara walked forwards, smirking. This was so NOT her! The puns, the outrageous get up, the cocky attitude. She loved it! She wasn't playing the shy girl anymore. She was being exactly who she wanted to be.  She was being strong, cool, sexy. She loved it. 

    "Never said I was a Slayer.", Tara said suppressing her occasional stutter.

    "Oh yeah?", one vampire asked, "Then just who the hell are you?"

    Poe flew off Tara's shoulder and landed on a fire escape as she walked closer, smiling seductively. 

    "I'm the Crow.", Tara responded, putting her hand up and sending the vampire flying courtesy of a telekinetic push. He crashed into the other vampires, "Now I don't like killing anything, but I have dusted your kind before and I'll do it again. Keep your noses clean, because you've got more than the Slayer to worry about now. You've got me."

    The vampires each got up and growled. 

    "You'll pay for that!", one growled inching closer…..before turning and running away with the others in fear. 

    Tara smirked and helped up Chris. 

    "Hey you okay?", She asked. 

    Chris smiled hugely, "Someone call the Pope. Heaven lost an angel!"

    Tara blushed beneath her makeup and Poe started cawing behind her, laughing outrageously in crow-speak. 

    "Shut up Poe."

    Gaira roared and thumped his chest as he stood over his kill. The foolish cricket truly had no chance. And now, the fallen insect would sate his hunger. Pity all those who came before Gaira in his aquarium of death!

    "He'd kind of cute actually.", Xander admitted, "Now that he's small and all."

    "Yeah. He's actually pretty tame at that size. I guess a cat would react the same way he did if it were ninety feet tall too. Gaira even purrs when he's happy.", Dawn bragged. 

    "You should let him play in the bathtub.", Anya spoke up, "I bet he'd be so cute. Watching him play, and get all soapy and stuff. Xander lets get back together and have a baby."

    "What?!", Xander asked. 

    "I want a baby. Now.", Anya replied. 

    "An, you think maybe we should talk about this?", Xander asked. 

    A second later, Andrew screamed in the basement. Dawn, Xander, and Anya all looked at one another and ran down the stairs. They found Andrew lying on the floor rubbing his head. Ethan's customary chair was also empty.

    "What happened?", Xander asked helping Andrew up. 

    "Ethan got away.", Andrew said whimpering. 

    "How?", Dawn asked. 

    "Well he didn't seduce me if that what you're thinking!", Andrew added. 

    "We didn't say that.", Dawn replied. 

    "Well good, cause he didn't. He uh…just freed himself then hit me over the head and got out through the window. I don't know how he did it. Honest.", came Andrew's less than convincing story. 

    "I have to tell Buffy.", Xander said heading upstairs. Before he got very far, Anya grabbed his arm. 

    "Xander, don't!", Anya pleaded. 

    "An, Ethan Rayne is on the loose again! She has to know!", Xander replied. 

    "Tell her later.", Anya pouted. 

    "Why?", Xander asked. 

    Anya merely pointed up to the ceiling. 

    "Ooooh!", Xander said in understanding. 

    "Fall brings death, leaves tumbling to the ground. Winter's icy kiss freezes all things around. Spring is the time of birth and lovers, paving the way for what I wish to see most. Many happy, contentful, Summers.", Spike recited on the roof. 

    He watched her for a reaction, and she sat perfectly still. The expression on her face was unreadable. She cocked her head to the other side and looked like she was thinking of something. Spike saw her searching for the perfect insult and took action. 

    "Ah bugger it. Not that good. May as well give up this old habit.", Spike said, trying to hide embarrassment at another shoddy composition. 

    "No. I liked it. I was just looking for the right word to describe it.", Buffy said touching his arm to keep him from tearing the piece of paper up.

    "Crap?", Spike asked raising an eyebrow. 

    "No. I think it's cheery. Bright, almost….what's the word?", Buffy strained hard before a light went off in her head, "Effulgent."

    Spike sat back blown away. 

    "You been reading about me?", he asked warily, seeing if she was making fun of him.

    "No. Why?", Buffy asked. 

    "I used that word a lot when I was alive. Thought you might have read up on me in the Watcher's Diaries.", Spiked explained. 

    "Spike, it's an SAT word. It just seemed fitting.", Buffy said to him. She smiled as she looked at him, the moonlight shining on him lighting his face. The night really was his place.   

    Spike pulled out a pen and began writing in his notebook of poems he had started, "Well it's a work in progress. I'll have to rewrite it a few times before it's actually good."

    Buffy smiled at him again as she watched him scribbling in the notebook. Then she reached over and tossed both it and the pen from his hands. 

    "Bloody hell! Why'd you do that?", he asked. 

    "Because it's perfect.", she answered. 

    She smiled and craned her face up to his and her lips met his. He was pensive, almost scared at first. He didn't want things to be like they had the last time. But after feeling her lips, inhaling her scent, hearing that small gasp come from her, he knew it wouldn't be like that again. He knew it would be different. So, under the full moon, on a warm spring night, he kissed her back. 

    And it was perfect. 

The End.


End file.
